This Kiss
by xMorbidxAngelx
Summary: A princess on a quest. Five princes eager for her hand. One apathetically looking on. A best friend eager to fulfil her fairy tale dream. A tale of the dramas and life changing decisions involved in the quest to find 'Prince Charming
1. Chapter 1

"_**Kissing is like drinking salt water. **_

_**You drink, and your thirst increases."**_

… **Chinese Proverb … **

**I****: ****The Task**

Long silk skirts whispered as a petite, dark haired woman strode purposefully down the carpeted hallway towards the large decorated wooden doors that seemed to beckon her closer. Almost as though they had a mind of their own and they sensed her presence, the doors swung open and she passed them by without a second thought before they closed behind her with a snap. Her short, but rapid strides came to an abrupt halt shortly after she stepped through the door and a look of bewilderment crossed her angelic face for a moment before it passed and in its place, a vibrant smile that could soften even the coldest of hearts. A long crimson carpet paved the way towards a dais on which sat the two most important people in the kingdom and the woman hastily made her way towards them, pausing briefly only to curtsy as a sign of respect before flinging herself into her father's open arms and submitting herself to her mother's kisses.

"You've returned!" the petite woman exclaimed when she finally disentangled herself from her parents' loving embraces. "I was beginning to think you'd left me here alone for good!"

"Never, dear child," her mother said fondly as she smoothed her daughter's hair.

"Do you bring news?" the woman asked excitedly, ignoring her mother's gentle words.

"We do, but your mother and I have made some very difficult decisions that we need to discuss with you," her father said gently, a slightly saddened look in his eyes as he regarded his precious daughter.

The dark haired woman sat back on her heels and stared at her parents with a mixture of horror and sadness. No word had left her lips since her parents had told her that it was time she found a suitor and everyone in the room sat on edge as they waited for the inevitable outburst of anger and tears, but it never came. Once she had taken in the news, she sighed to herself and rose to her feet, smoothing out her long skirts as she did so before curtsying to her parents once more, her head bowed respectfully and her posture so perfect it would have made her etiquette tutors weep with pride if they were to see her. Her rigid back and the grim set of her lips were the only indication of her displeasure.

"Please do not resent us for asking this of you, dear," her mother said, worry evident in her eyes as she looked at her daughter.

"You are young, Rin," her father added. "A princess as well. There will be no shortage of suitors eager for your hand and you can be sure that we will find the best ones for you to choose from."

"I'm sure you will," Rin replied. "It saddens me that I cannot make such decisions for myself."

Turning on her heel, the young woman walked out of the room lacking the exuberance she had arrived with and her parents could only watch her go, knowing that they were doing what was best for their daughter. Sighing heavily, Rin closed the door to her chambers and leaned against it as she surveyed her bedroom with a critical eye. If she married a prince or a noble, she would have to leave behind this room and most of its contents. This had been her bedroom since she was a child and she had no desire to leave it or her belongings in favour of moving into a man's bedroom. The very thought of sharing a room with a man sent a shiver down her spine and she quickly pushed aside the thought. Her mother had frequently complained to her when she was a child about how untidy her father was and how little regard he had for their bedchamber. Being a very tidy individual, Rin did not relish the thought of possibly going through a similar situation herself, but eventually consoled herself with the thought that it was entirely possible that her future marriage would be very different from that of her parents.

A smile crossed her face as she thought of her parents. Seiji and Tsukiko Hayashi had been the best parents Rin could ask for and she knew that they were simply acting in her best interests. She also knew that it would not be appropriate for their only daughter to remain unmarried. Still, the idea of allowing a man she didn't know into her life who might become a permanent fixture didn't sit well with her at all. Sighing, she walked across to her balcony and sat down heavily on the bench as she looked out over the lush green gardens below. She supposed marrying a man she didn't know what just a sacrifice she was going to have to make to please her parents. Perhaps she would be lucky and meet someone nice.

*-*-*-*-*

There had been no more discussion after that day about Rin's marriage and everyone in the castle wisely avoided discussing the topic anywhere where she might overhear it. The people at the castle were rather fond of their cheerful albeit feisty princess and would frequently go out of their way to simply be in her company. It had become tradition for new members of staff to be her guardians or maids until they had become accustomed to life at the castle. Rin had a calming effect on people that no one could understand but everyone wanted. Seiji was a patient man by nature, but his temper was unpredictable and fearsome when unleashed and when it was discovered that his daughter's presence calmed him, Rin was required to sit with her father during any meeting where unpleasant news had to be delivered. As a child, she had jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with her beloved father and more often than not, she would be sleeping contently on his lap by the end of the meeting. When she became old enough to understand why her presence was required, Rin had simply smiled and sat quietly beside her father while matters completely beyond her grasp were discussed.

The relationship between Tsukiko and Rin had been strange for those who didn't understand it. From an outsider's perspective, they seemed to be best friends rather than the mother and daughter that they were. Rin had always been a sensible child and was fiercely independent. Even now at the age of twenty, she refused to be coddled by the people at the castle. Everyone had been quite amused to discover that she had inherited her father's unpredictable temper which was quite a contrast to the calm and demure nature that had been inherited from her mother. Seiji had laughed heartily when she had first lost her temper with one of the poor unfortunate guards who had been assigned to watch over her when she walked in the gardens. The poor man had been utterly shell shocked by the ill temper of the petite princess who always smiled and laughed happily. While her father continued to find her sudden temper tantrums quite amusing, her mother had not been impressed when she had heard about the incident. Thus, Rin was put through vigorous etiquette training as though it could somehow rid the girl of her unpredictable temper. Needless to say, that idea had failed spectacularly but Rin simply learned to hide her anger to please her mother and worked hard to become the lady that Tsukiko desperately wanted.

Throughout her childhood, Rin had had one close friend who had watched over her much like a mother would her child to ensure that she never drifted too far from the path she should be walking down. Kagome was the daughter of one of Seiji's advisors and the King had ensured that the family were well looked after when the man had tragically lost his life to an illness. The two girls grew up together and were the best of friends, spending as much time as possible with each other, but as time passed, Kagome was required to learn medical skills from her mother and Rin was required to spend more time learning to become a lady. Although they still saw each other from time to time, it always came as a surprise to see how much the other had changed and it was saddening to think that they had been apart when the changes took place.

A fortnight after Rin had been informed of her parent's decision; she was once again called to their throne room. Sighing to herself, she smoothed her dress down as she slowly made her way down the long corridor to the room her parents occupied. She knew that she should probably not keep them waiting, but the usual exuberance that endeared her to all those around her was not present and a sense of foreboding was in its place. The people she passed on her way to the throne room kept their faces carefully blank as they bowed and curtsied respectfully to her as she passed despite her protests and she paused when she saw the enormous door to the room in question at the very end of corridor. Mentally preparing herself for what she knew was probably not going to be a very good encounter, Rin pressed on and smiled slightly at the two guards who stood on either side of the door before stepping through the door and glancing around.

"Ah, Rin! You've arrived," Seiji said with a smile and beckoned her forward.

Warily, Rin walked towards her father. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she saw his lips twitch as though he was about to smile and was instantly suspicious of his reasons for calling her here. Tsukiko on the other hand clearly did not share her husband's amusement. A slight frown creased her forehead and her hands twisted on her lap anxiously as her daughter approached.

"We've decided on a course of action," Seiji said, smothering his amusement with a failed expression of seriousness.

"Is that so?" Rin asked, sitting down on a nearby chair and eyeing her father suspiciously. "What is your plan, father?"

"After looking through the list of princes and nobles, we have decided on a short list of men who would be suitable. However, it is your choice who you will marry."

"That leaves me in the same position as I was before, father," Rin deadpanned.

"Not at all!" Seiji exclaimed with a grin and lifted his hand in a brief gesture before the doors opened again. "You will travel to meet these men and then you will make your final decision."

"Surely you do not expect me to travel alone?"

"Of course not. Kagome will accompany you."

An exclamation of surprise interrupted Rin before she could speak and she turned around hastily as she recognised the voice. Standing in the doorway was Kagome, an expression of confusion on her face. Rin stared at her friend in disbelief before looking at her parents with a vague smile.

"Very well," she said quietly. "If that is how you wish it to be done then is shall be so. When do you wish me to leave?"

"Whenever you are ready, dear," Tsukiko said with a look that was clearly begging her not to leave too soon.

Nodding her understanding, Rin took her leave from the room and walked back to her chambers with Kagome. The moment they stepped through the door and it was closed behind them, the pair lapsed into childish giggles and wrapped their arms tightly around each other. When they had eventually calmed themselves, they retired to the balcony to exchange news and stories.

"You've grown up, Rin!" Kagome exclaimed, eyeing her friend seriously.

"I've not changed," Rin replied. "You have though."

"I'm still the same. I cannot believe that you aren't already married! It's a wonder there aren't men queuing up in the gardens just to see you."

"You're older than me Kagome. Between the two of us, I have always thought that it would be you who married first."

Kagome waved a hand dismissively. "It's hardly surprising that you would think so, but there are no men in this town that are suitable."

"No one lives up to your high standards?" Rin asked with a teasing grin.

"My standards aren't that high!"

"But they're high enough to make you turn away every man who wishes to be more than your friend?"

"Putting that aside," Kagome said, not bothering to disguise her attempts to change the subject. "I was suddenly called here without being told why. What's going on, Rin? You know I don't like being left in the dark about important things!"

Sighing, Rin got to her feet and fetched a pitcher of water before returning to the table where Kagome sat. As she poured the cool water into the glasses, she wondered how she was supposed to tell her friend that she had to drop everything she was doing to accompany her on a mission to find her husband. It seemed very unreasonable and part of her wanted her friend to remain out of the problem, but another part of Rin knew that Kagome's guidance would be invaluable on the quest her parents had given her. While Rin was every inch the lady her mother had wanted her to be and knew everything about how to behave in social situations, her temper was often her downfall. Kagome, on the other hand, was sensible and level headed at all times despite also having a fearsome temper. Rin sat down and looked at her friend seriously, deciding that it would be best for Kagome to accompany her.

"Well?" Kagome probed. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"My parents have decided that I should find myself a husband," Rin started. "They have given me a list of suitable men and I must go to see them all before I make my choice."

"That is unfair, isn't it? Why don't you have a say in who you marry?"

"I do. I get to choose from the list."

"That's not really much of a choice when you consider how many men are eligible to marry you."

"I have to choose from six. I suppose I should be grateful that they didn't give the whole list of eligible men. It would have taken me so long to see them all that I would probably be ancient by the time I made a choice."

Kagome laughed. "Why am I here though?"

"My parents want you to come with me when I go to meet these men."

"I suppose I should," Kagome said thoughtfully before grinning at her friend. "No doubt you'll get into trouble if I'm not around to keep you going down the right road."

"You make me sound incompetent!" Rin exclaimed with mock hurt.

"Not incompetent, just impulsive," Kagome corrected with a smile as she stood up and stretched. "So when do we leave?"

"I don't think Mother is keen on this idea, but I'd rather just go and get it over and done with."

"Over and done with? This is your future you're talking about."

"I know, but the future doesn't look quite as rosy as I had first though now that my parents have given me this task."

"It'll be fine. You'll find a handsome prince who'll whisk you off your feet and the pair of you will ride off into the sunset on a beautiful white horse to live happily ever after!"

"Aren't you a bit too old to still be reading fairy tales?" Rin asked with a vague smile as she got to her feet.

"Maybe, but you're never too old to dream about your 'Prince Charming,'" Kagome replied with a grin.

"Well maybe while we're on this little quest, you'll find your prince. At least then one of us will have a happy future with 'Prince Charming.'"

*-*-*-*-*

**AN:** So this is going to be my new focus. I've sort of lost interest in Bad Influence and I got the idea for this after rediscovering my old book of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm :)

I realise that I have named this chapter which is something I never do, but I decided to give it a try and see how I liked it. I actually planned this story out quite carefully so hopefully it'll turn out okay.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this one and I promise that I will start working on Bad Influence when I finish this story.

**xMxAx**


	2. Chapter 2

"_**Kisses kept are wasted;**_

_**Love is to be tasted.**_

_**There are some you love, I know; **_

_**Be not loath to tell them so.**_

_**Lips go dry and eyes grow wet**_

_**Waiting to be warmly met.**_

_**Keep them not in waiting yet;**_

_**Kisses kept are wasted."**_

… **Edmund Vance Cooke … **

**II****: ****The Wolf**

There had been many tears when Rin and Kagome had finally left the castle to begin their journey. Tsukiko had begged Rin to stay, telling her repeatedly that Seiji's plan to send her on this journey was not well thought out and that danger was ever-present. Smiling tolerantly, Rin had dismissed her mother's worries despite knowing that the warnings held more truth than she wished. There were many people who would take a princess hostage for the handsome ransom that would be paid for her safety and it was with great reluctance that Rin left the safety of the castle. Kagome had tried and failed to put her friend at ease before eventually falling silent as she too lost herself in thoughts of what could happen on this journey.

Days of travelling eventually led them to the small kingdom's border with the next kingdom where Rin would pay her first visit to the first prince on the list. The beautiful, rolling countryside that was common in Rin's kingdom vanished almost as soon as they crossed the border. The coach driver paused briefly and Rin looked out the window to see the cause of the delay and decided that she couldn't fault the poor man's hesitation. The neat fields of green grass and crops were replaced by a wall of trees that stood just ahead of them radiating an ominous aura that set everyone on edge. The coach was once again in motion and Kagome and Rin marvelled at how dark it was inside the forest. The tall trees stood so close together that very little sunlight reached the forest floor and the smell of damp pine needles teased the senses every so often before disappearing. It wasn't just how dense the forest was that amazed Rin, but it was the size of the trees. She had never seen trees that big before.

After travelling through the forest for hours, Rin sighed in relief when she saw the edge of the forest but deflated when she realised that they had simply reached a clearing. Glancing around, she noted that it was a very large clearing and it didn't seem natural. Realisation dawned on her when she saw several men approaching the coach and speaking to the driver in hushed tones before waving the coach onwards. They must be approaching a town and she was willing to bet that the town would probably be in the middle of the forest. Sighing to herself, she looked out the window and was surprised when she wasn't faced with more trees. In place of trees, small buildings were nestled among the trees and despite not liking being surrounded by so many trees; Rin had to admit that what little she had seen of the town they were entering was quite beautiful. The buildings were quite primitive, but they seemed to fit in with their surroundings very well.

The coach came to a stop and the driver opened the door, smiling politely as he helped Rin and Kagome down. Before them stood a short flight of stone steps that led to what Rin assumed was a building of extreme importance if the number of guards that surrounded it were anything to go by. Two men in dark clothes swept down the steps towards the two women and bowed low before them. Rin stared at them in surprise. It was obvious that they were not used to such courtly mannerisms, but she had to smile at their attempts. Their outfits suggested that they spent the majority of their time outdoors and the scraps of armour made Rin wonder what these men possibly did when they weren't greeting important guests. The pair smiled uneasily at the two women before gesturing for them to follow.

Rin had to admit that she did not like the rough structure that they were led into even if it was an important building. The stone walls were rough and the wooden banisters that stood beside the stairs were liable to give an unsuspecting person several splinters. Wrinkling her nose slightly, she silently followed the two men and glanced around her. There were no paintings on the walls like there had been in the castle she had grown up in and there were no statues or plants anywhere to be seen. Obviously, this prince did not appreciate art. The floor was largely uncovered and every so often Rin would see an animal skin lying across the floor in a room they passed which she supposed acted as a carpet. They little group passed more people, mostly guards, loitering outside doors and in corners. All the men were dressed in a similar fashion to the two men guiding them throughout the building and once again, Rin felt her curiosity piqued.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a large, rough wooden door and the two men knocked loudly before pushing it open and gesturing for the two women to enter. Rin wasn't surprised to find that the décor in this room wasn't very different to the rest of the building although she realised that the quality of the furniture in this room was better. Once again, a large animal skin sat on the floor in front of a small dais and a man lounged casually in the chair upon the dais. He didn't look up when the group entered and continued to sharpen the small blade in his hand before one of the men cleared his throat. Sighing audibly, the man put aside the blade and sat up straight in his chair, looking up at the group for the first time. Rin was immediately struck by how blue his eyes were and for a moment was at a loss for words before remembering her manners and curtsying politely to him with Kagome following her example.

"What do we have here?" the man drawled lazily, looking over at the two women and grinning widely. "I wasn't aware that we would be having visitors and women no less. This is a surprise."

Rin flinched inwardly as she saw a sharp fang revealed when he grinned. "I beg your pardon, my lord," she said respectfully. "I was under the impression that you knew I would be travelling here."

"Was I informed of this?" the man asked sharply, turning to look at the two men who now stood on one side of the dais.

"Yes, my lord," one said quietly, bowing as he addressed his leader.

"Then why do I not know of this?"

"You were not paying attention, my lord."

"Why tell me something important when I'm not listening?" the man demanded impatiently.

"You're never listening," both men said in exasperation.

The three men argued amongst themselves for a while longer and Rin glanced over her shoulder at Kagome who shrugged slightly and smiled. While they argued, Rin looked the man over and had to admit that he was very impressive looking. His piercing blue eyes seemed to look straight into your soul and his long black hair was tied up in a ponytail at the top of his head, his bangs held out of his eyes by a headband. Like the two men he was arguing with, he also wore armour but his was more revealing than that of his subjects. It was obvious that he was strong and very athletic, but the sword at his hip sent a shiver down Rin's spine.

"I apologise, ladies!" he exclaimed a short while later and rose swiftly to his feet.

"Please don't worry," Rin replied, eyes widening in surprise when he bowed before her and kissed her hand gently.

"I am Kouga," he said proudly. "I am the leader of this kingdom."

"My name is Rin. I'm the daughter of King Seiji and Queen Tsukiko. This is my companion, Kagome," she said hastily, eager to have his unsettling gaze directed elsewhere.

There was silence in the room as Rin waited to see what would happen next. The man did not move and did not speak for a long moment as he regarded the petite woman in front of him before turning his intense gaze to the taller woman behind her. Rin struggled to hold in her mirth when she saw the expression on his face as his gaze landed on Kagome. The cocky man was quite taken with Kagome and grinned wolfishly at her before turning back to Rin.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable!" Kouga said loudly, gesturing for the two men to bring chairs for the women. "No doubt it was a long journey. I would like to hear more about the cause which has brought you to my lands."

Kagome frowned slightly and moved her chair closer to Rin. The petite woman glanced at her friend and smiled before turning her attention to Kouga who was gazing at them intently although Rin knew his gaze was on Kagome and not her. While Kagome was drawn into conversation, Rin studied the prince and thought about her situation. He was a very attractive man, there was no questioning that, but his cocky attitude didn't endear him to her. She got the distinct impression that he enjoyed getting a rise out of people as she watched him tease Kagome which she knew was a dangerous thing to do. Her presence seemed to have been forgotten which she didn't mind that much since it helped her make her decision quickly. She should get to know him, but she knew enough to know that he was not the one for her.

"So you are here in search of a suitor?" Kouga asked suddenly, turning his gaze to Rin.

"That is what my parents requested," she said simply.

"And I'm one of the candidates?"

"They believe that you are a fine leader and would make a good King one day."

This answer seemed to please him for his grin was smug when he looked at her. "How long will you stay?"

"As long as it takes to make up my mind."

*-*-*-*-*

Rin was largely left to her own devices after they were settled in the rather strange building in which Kouga lived. They spent the majority of their time with the prince, but Rin knew that his heart was set on Kagome. While Rin chatted happily with the two men who she later discovered were Kouga's two advisors, Kagome became increasingly more flustered by the attention being showered down upon her. She had indeed wanted to meet her 'Prince Charming' while on this quest with Rin, but this man was very different from her idea of the man of her dreams.

Eventually, after staying several days, Rin had decided that she had had enough of the outrageous flirting and poor attempts at refusal. The two advisors shook their heads as they watched Kouga attempt once again to woo Kagome and then fail spectacularly when she politely but firmly refused him. It didn't seem to deter him as he was soon professing his love to the poor woman again a short while later. Both men turned to look at Rin who was watching the display with a bored expression on her face that they both mistook for displeasure.

"We apologise for our Lord's behaviour, my lady!" one exclaimed, bowing low beside her.

"This is more inappropriate behaviour in front of a princess!" the other said mournfully as he bowed to her as well.

"Please don't concern yourselves," Rin said in a soothing voice. "He is enjoying himself."

"But this was not the reason you came here!" the first man said in a shrill voice.

"He hasn't proven himself to be worthy of being your husband or becoming King in future!" the second man chimed in, his forehead creased in a ferocious frown.

Kouga tilted his head to one side as he caught part of the conversation and glanced over to the trio of people sitting nearby. Kagome took this chance to run over to her friend's side but Kouga for once took no notice of the woman who had captured his attention since her arrival. Looking intently at the princess, he watched as she smiled and spoke easily with his two advisors. Her smile was incredible, he noted and there was always an aura of calm around her that seemed to spread to those nearby. Frowning slightly, he watched as she got to her feet to wrap her arms around Kagome.

She was too short for his tastes and her hour glass figure did not appeal to him as much as Kagome's slender figure did, but he did admit that the princess would definitely be a catch to be proud of.

Later that day, Rin was sitting alone in the gardens when she heard footsteps on the paved pathway behind her. Looking up, she smiled slightly when she saw Kouga approaching and then sit down beside her. He returned the smile and looked at her intently for a while before she broke eye contact and looked back at the gardens surrounding her. She still found herself feeling uncomfortable when his gaze was trained solely on her. When Kouga cleared his throat, Rin looked back at him for a moment to indicate she was listening to what he was going to say.

"I know that it must be difficult to have to find a suitor," Kouga said slowly, pausing to watch a leaf blow across the ground in front of him. "I'm humbled that I would be on that list, but I'm afraid that it cannot be."

Rin smiled at him. "You are a good leader and like my father said, one day you will be a good King, but I agree that it cannot be."

"You agree?" he asked in surprise.

"Your heart belongs to Kagome, does it not? I cannot compete with my friend for a man. It simply isn't right."

"You knew about that?"

"It's obvious to anyone that you are smitten with her."

Kouga sighed. "Alas, she is not smitten with me."

"Kagome does not trust easily," Rin said quietly.

"Then my case is hopeless."

"Perhaps not. Try becoming her friend first. It may change her mind."

"Thank you for the advice. I'm truly sorry that I cannot help you."

"You have helped me. The list is now shorter and I have gained a friend in the process, have I not?" Rin replied with a smile.

"Indeed you have," Kouga said with a grin as he got to his feet and leaned down to help her up. "Where will you go from here?"

"To find the next prince and see how my luck fares with him."

"I wish you luck, it sounds as though you might need it."

"I might," Rin agreed.

*-*-*-*-*

After the discussion with Kouga, Rin had made plans to leave as soon as possible. There were still five more princes left to find and she had no idea what any of them would be like. Kouga had been a complete surprise and she truly hoped that she found no more like him. He was a dear man and had become a good friend, but more than one person like him would surely give her a headache. Kagome had been overjoyed when she discovered that they were leaving, but carefully concealed her joy from the slightly subdued prince who frowned as he stood outside his home and watched the two women climb into their coach. He closed their door with a sigh and nodded politely to them both.

"Perhaps we will see you again soon," Rin said with a smile.

"If the Gods would allow it, I would travel with you," Kouga replied sincerely.

"The Gods have nothing to do with it!" one of the advisors chimed in with a grin. "You are required here, my liege!"

The two advisors waved at the women and pulled the unwilling prince back into the building much to the amusement of Kagome and Rin. The coach slowly travelled back through the town and eventually, they found themselves back in the dimly lit forest. They rode in silence for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts, until Kagome cleared her throat and looked at Rin.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Kouga," she said apologetically.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Rin said with a smile. "If anything, you helped me arrive at my decision."

"What was your decision?"

"Kouga is not the one."

"Does he know?"

"He was the one who said it."

Kagome stared at her friend in confusion. "What happened?"

"Nothing particularly interesting," Rin said with a smile and a shrug. "We had a conversation and decided between us that he would not be the one I would marry."

"It was as simple as that?"

"Matters of the heart can be quite simple sometimes."

"How was it a matter of the heart? You don't love him and he doesn't love you," Kagome said with a frown.

"No, but he is smitten with you. Did that escape your notice?" Rin asked in mock surprise.

"That was obvious and irritating," her friend muttered. "Do you think he'll pursue me?"

"Perhaps, but if he does, he had best be quick. What will happen if you find your 'Prince Charming' while we're travelling?"

Kagome laughed. "Do you think I will find him?"

"You'll have to wait and see," Rin said with a smile as she turned her gaze to the dense trees that surrounded them.


	3. Chapter 3

"_**A man had given all other bliss,**_

_**And all his worldly worth for this,**_

_**To waste his whole heart in one kiss**_

_**Upon her perfect lips."**_

… **Alfred, Lord Tennyson … **

**III****: ****The Fox**

With the first prince having already been crossed off her list, Rin could only wonder what kind of man the second prince would be. The deep forests that surrounded Kouga's domain were soon replaced by open grassland not very different from Rin's own homeland. She sighed happily as she gazed out the coach window over the tall golden grass and saw only rolling hills and the occasional tree as far as the eye could see. Kagome too seemed to be pleased to be out of the trees and smiled brightly as they travelled further and further into the new land. A sense of anticipation and excitement that she hadn't felt since the beginning of the journey rushed over Rin and she found that she was eager to meet this next man.

Rin didn't know how long they travelled, but they eventually saw a small village come into view and it was nothing like what she had been expecting. When thinking of royalty or nobility, one tended to think of magnificent buildings and extravagant furnishings, but what faced the two women was nothing even remotely resembling anywhere a prince would live. Kagome sent her friend a look as though questioning whether they were in the right place and Rin could only shrug in response. She found it rather annoying that she knew nothing about these men that she was going to meet and so far they weren't really anything like what she had thought although she was only judging the second prince by the village that grew larger and larger as they drew closer to it.

The ground was dusty when the two women stepped out into the open and looked curiously around them. The buildings nearby all seemed to have been hastily erected and looked as though they would fall apart at any minute. Rin glanced around her, trying to spot any form of life in the seemingly abandoned village but saw none. Sighing softly, she turned to her friend for advice but Kagome could give her none. The pair stood in the bright sunlight for a short while, completely at a loss for what to do before the makeshift door of a nearby building opened and a head popped out.

The two women watched the figure intently and were surprised when a rather tall man stepped out of the building and stretched massively. Rin's eyebrow rose when she caught sight of a rather large bushy tail trailing behind him as he moved from the building's entrance. Beside her, Kagome smothered a giggle when she too caught sight of the appendage. The man turned around hastily when he heard Rin clear her throat and his long hair flew out behind him, shining brightly in the midday sun. His eyes landed on the two women and he relaxed slightly although it was obvious he was ready to attack if necessary. Smiling politely, Rin nodded and curtsied gracefully despite the fact that she knew her long skirts would gather dust from the ground as she did so.

"Who are you?" the man asked in an oddly high-pitched voice for a man.

"I'm Rin Hayashi," she said quietly. "This is my companion, Kagome."

"Hayashi?" the man repeated with a frown before he seemed to understand. "You are the princess?"

"Yes."

"I am Shippo," he introduced himself after a moment with an elegant bow.

The man seemed to be in charge, but he hadn't mentioned what his position was in this society. Rin and Kagome followed him as he led them towards the building they had seen him leave and the pair of them couldn't help but watch his tail as it bobbed with each step he took. The building they were led into was quite small and Rin was even more convinced that it would fall apart now that she was inside it. Once they were comfortably seated, Shippo sat down and smiled at the two women who looked around them curiously.

"I have already been informed of the reason for your visit to our clan," Shippo said quietly.

"My father must've told everyone then," Rin mused with a smile.

"It's quite likely. I imagine most men would be very flustered if two stunning women were to suddenly appear on their doorstep claiming to be looking for a husband."

"Flattery will get you far in life," Kagome said with a chuckle as she leaned back in her chair, at ease for the first time since the journey began.

"It is not flattery, dear lady," Shippo said with a vague smile. "I am merely stating the truth."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is that not how the saying goes?" Rin quoted thoughtfully. "But putting aside matters of beauty for the time being, if you know why I am here, does that mean you are the prince I am here to see?"

Shippo threw his head back and laughed. "The leader of this clan I am, but the prince, I most certainly am not."

"Not?" Kagome echoed in confusion. "How can you be the leader but not the prince?"

"This clan is simply a rather large family," Shippo explained carefully. "I don't mean we're all related and inbred though. I simply mean that we behave towards each other much like a family would."

"How does that explain your not being the prince?" Kagome queried, sitting forward in her seat to listen to more eagerly.

"We have no system of hierarchy in this clan so there is no prince. I am the leader because I was elected to fulfil that duty."

"It sounds very democratic," Rin said approvingly.

"Perhaps. Since we are a nomadic clan, there was never any need for a complicated hierarchy as it would probably complicate matters in one way or another."

"How so?" Rin asked, now beginning to share Kagome's interest in the way this clan worked.

"If we had members of a noble family within the clan, they may refuse to work as hard as the ordinary clan members," Shippo said as an example. "The way we live now ensures that everyone works as hard as the next person and gets an equal share of the rewards from their work."

The trio sat and discussed how the clan worked for what seemed like hours and eventually, Shippo stood up and dusted his clothes before gesturing for the two women to follow. He led them to a room that they could share and then departed, leaving them alone for the remainder of the night. Rin sat down heavily on one of the beds and smiled at how soft it was. Sinking into the soft covers on the bed, she rolled onto her side to look at her friend who stood looking out the window at the moon that hung low in the sky.

"What do you think of Shippo?" Rin asked, propping herself up on an elbow.

"He seems quite nice, don't you think?" Kagome said with a smile as she crossed the room to sit on the other bed. "Do you think you could see yourself spending your life with someone like him?"

"He is very nice and his clan sounds wonderful…"

"But?"

"He's not really the kind of man I ever imagined myself being with."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "That's true actually. I think the poor man would suffer if he married you."

"That's not very nice!" Rin exclaimed, throwing one of her pillows at her friend in a display of mock anger.

"It may not be nice, but it's true," the older woman said with a grin. "He seems like such a timid person and you are not really all that timid, are you?"

"Not really."

"Exactly. How would he cope when he discovers your frightful temper and how stubborn you are sometimes?"

Rin sighed. "You're right. My behaviour is truly awful sometimes, isn't it?"

"There's nothing wrong with your behaviour," Kagome said with a fond smile at her friend. "You just need a man who able to deal with your rather emotional outbursts which are actually rather rare nowadays."

"I can keep hoping that he'll make an appearance sometime before I have to choose my husband then," Rin said with a tired smile as she snuggled down into the bed covers. "I'm not going to put much faith in the idea of 'Prince Charming' though. You can keep your fairy tale fantasy."

Kagome glanced at her friend and smiled to herself when she realised that Rin was already fast asleep. Sighing softly, Kagome crossed the room and covered her friend with the covers before sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her seriously. Weariness was beginning to show on Rin's face if the dark circles beneath her eyes were anything to judge by and the older woman sighed to herself. She wished that her friend didn't have to go through this ordeal simply to find a husband and prayed that she would make the right decision in the end.

*-*-*-*-*

The days spent with Shippo were far more enjoyable than the time spent in Kouga's home. He seemed to be eager to talk to either of the women and had a smile ready for both of them when he laid eyes on them. It came as quite a shock to Rin when she discovered that he was actually a mine of information about the political matters that had always been far too confusing for her to grasp while she sat beside her father in his meetings. Somehow, she had assumed that because he was quite young, he would not be as well acquainted with political problems as someone like Kouga may have been. A shiver raced down her spine as Rin imagined how Kouga dealt with problems. He didn't seem to have the tact that Shippo did and she could only imagine large pools of blood staining the floor when Kouga tried to solve a problem.

Shippo had been eager to please the two women and had given them a tour of the small village they had established. The villagers had been welcoming and Rin found that she was thoroughly enjoying herself for the first time since embarking on this quest. The village's leader had gone into great detail as he explained how the clan would prepare to move and just quickly the buildings could be dismantled and packed away. Kagome had wandered away from the pair and struck up a conversation with a local physician while Rin continued the tour of the village with her guide. It didn't take long to see the whole village and Rin liked what she saw even if the idea of a nomadic lifestyle didn't appeal much to her.

A couple of days after the tour of the village, Rin had already made her decision and simply bided her time until the appropriate time came up to discuss the matter with Shippo. She had eventually managed to corner him and suggest they discuss their situation and Kagome had wisely left the pair alone. When they had reached the outskirts of the village where they would be guaranteed privacy, Shippo turned to look questioningly at Rin who smiled in response as she sat down on the grass.

"I've been here some time, longer than I spent in the last place actually," Rin said quietly, twirling a piece of grass in her fingers. "I should be leaving soon."

"I see," Shippo said quietly, sitting beside her and waiting for her to continue.

"I've enjoyed the time spent here. I think I needed the opportunity to smile and enjoy myself since I don't really foresee much time for that in the immediate future."

"You are always welcome to back to the village, wherever we may be, if you wish."

"Thank you. I may take you up on that offer sometime."

"It will be sad to see the two of you go," Shippo admitted. "I haven't really thought of you as a future wife to be honest. Do you think it would work?"

"Possibly," Rin said thoughtfully. "I suspect that if we were to marry, we would be classed more as friends than lovers though."

Shippo shuddered. "It would be awkward to think of you as anything other than a friend."

Rin laughed. "I'm glad you agree. I'm sorry I couldn't choose you, Shippo."

"Don't be. I wouldn't feel right having a woman like you at my side and constantly moving from one place to another. You deserve better than that. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"That may difficult."

"Why?"

"I don't really know what I'm looking for," Rin said quietly. "I don't really think I would find it even if I knew what it was."

"You aren't looking for your fairy tale prince then?" Shippo asked with a grin.

"I see you've been speaking to Kagome. I would like to believe that there is one for me, but I know it can't be so."

"Why can it not be so?"

"I wouldn't know where to start looking for this prince and even if he did exist, my time has run out. I must choose from this list. That is my task and I must see it through."

"Even if you're not happy?"

"My happiness isn't so important that I would jeopardise the future of my kingdom for it. I have been lucky in life so far and wishing for more is simply being greedy. All I can do is wait and see how this task unfolds. For all I know, this prince of mine might be on the list my parents gave me."

"Hope springs eternal," Shippo nodded before smiling at her as he rose to his feet. "You are wise beyond your years, Rin."

Rin smiled but said nothing as she too got to her feet and the pair made their way back to the village. She did truly regret that Shippo was not the man she was going to wed, but just as Kagome had said, the poor man would suffer if he married her and she didn't want to be the cause of his suffering.

The next day found the two women once again clambering into their coach and bidding farewell to their new friend as the coach slowly made its way out of the village. Rin was strangely silent as they trundled through the grasslands and Kagome couldn't even begin to guess at what was on her friend's mind. Sighing softly, Rin sank down in her seat and stared out the window vacantly for a long moment before turning her gaze to her friend.

"Do you think I'm making the right decision?" Rin asked, her voice subdued.

"About what?"  
"This trip. Perhaps I should've just spoken up against my parents' decision and taken my chances against my father's temper."

"It's too late for regrets now," Kagome said quietly. "You've made new friends, haven't you?"

"I have, but I worry that all I'll get out of this journey is more friends and that none of them would be suitable for me to marry."

"Wouldn't it be nice if 'Prince Charming' rode up out of nowhere and swept you off your feet? He could whisk you away from here and all your troubles on his white steed. Isn't that a romantic notion?" Kagome asked with a dreamy smile.

"It's very romantic," Rin said with a wry smile. "If only life worked in the same way."

"Perhaps it will work that way for you?"

"Haven't we already had this discussion? I can't sit around waiting for some prince on a steed to whisk me away from my reality. He's had several years to make his appearance but he hasn't. Isn't that a good enough reason not to wait for him any longer?"

"I suppose you're right," Kagome said softly. "I'm still going to pray that your prince comes along at the same time as mine does though! I don't want to be happy when I know you're miserable."

"You're far too considerate of others," Rin said with a fond smile at her friend.

"Only the ones dear to me."

As they continued in silence, Rin thought over Kagome's words. It would be nice to be whisked off her feet even though she wasn't inclined to believe in fairy tales. Perhaps she would keep a tiny flame of hope in that idea alive despite the chances of such a thing happening being very slim. Smiling to herself, Rin decided to do just that. It was a fool's hope, but it wouldn't hurt to keep it alive, after all, the fates may yet surprise her.


	4. Chapter 4

"_**A kiss, when all is said, what is it?**_

_**A rosy dot on the 'I' in loving;**_

'_**Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear."**_

… **Edmond Rostand … **

**IV****: ****The Lecher**

The visits to the first two princes had been unsuccessful and Rin was left with the bitter taste of disappointment. She didn't really know what she had been expecting when she went in search of them, but disappointment has washed over in waves when she got to know them a little better. They were perfectly nice people and they would no doubt make very good friends, but she wasn't searching for friends and the fact that each time she met a man and ended up with a friend instead of a prospective husband irked her. Was it so difficult to find a man whose company she enjoyed? There didn't have to fireworks when they first met and there didn't have to be any of the other romantic nonsense that tales said happened when one met their true love. Rin wasn't asking for her true love, she wasn't even asking for love at all. Asking for love was perhaps being far too greedy and asking for her true love was simply out of the question. All she wanted was someone whose company she enjoyed. Someone she wouldn't mind living out the rest of her life with. He had to be capable of dealing with her occasional emotional outbursts, but she had fortunately learned to control the emotions that sometimes got her into trouble.

Sighing to herself, Rin leaned her head back against the seat as the coach continued to make its way along the bumpy, dusty road towards the next prince's kingdom. She had never particularly enjoyed travelling and all this travelling she was suddenly doing was really not the best way to put her in a good frame of mind when she met the prince. They had left Shippo's village promising to return someday, but Rin doubted that that visit would ever take place. He would no doubt be busy with his clan and she could not see much freedom to travel after her husband had been decided. As she thought about it carefully, her life was going to change drastically and she wasn't entirely sure if the change was welcome. This task had started out as an adventure that she grasped with both hands even though she didn't like what she would find at the end, but now, it was simply unpleasant. She didn't want to have to give up her freedom and change her lifestyle just because there would be a man who called himself her husband.

Perhaps it was not too late to back out of this arrangement. Even as she thought about giving up on the task and going home, she knew that what she would find at home should she fail to complete the task would be even worse. Her parents had been quite decent with this situation by allowing her to be the one to choose whom to marry and Rin knew that not many other women in her position were given such an opportunity. It was imperative that she find a husband and Rin didn't question the reasons for that, but she dearly wished this could have been decided in a different way. She would have wanted to find a man worthy of her attentions and then succumb to the romantic side of her that was hidden by her cynicism, but she no longer had the time to find that perfect man. Despite it all, Rin supposed that she should at least be grateful that she was able to choose which man to marry. As much as she wanted to just ask the driver to turn around, she knew that when she got home, her parents would not be pleased with her. She also knew that if she went home without completing the task, the choice would be taken out of her hands. In most cases like hers, husbands were simply chosen and the person in question had no say in the matter. She didn't want to end up in that situation so she knew that she had little choice but to carry on and complete her task.

"You've not been looking very happy lately, Rin," Kagome observed, looking up from her book to look at her friend.

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Rin asked bitterly.

"Weren't you excited about this at first?"  
"Not really. I maybe have feigned enthusiasm, but I was never particularly pleased about this task."

"I know it's not a nice situation, but at least you have the choice," Kagome reasoned, unknowingly voicing Rin's thoughts from only a short while ago. "What would happen if you gave up and went home?"

"My parents would make the decision for me. I wish I didn't have to get married at all."

"Marriage isn't that bad. Your parents have been married for years and they still get along fine, don't they?"

"They do, but they knew each other as children so there was never anything wrong with the idea of marriage when they were older. All they had to do was take their friendship one-step further. I don't know any of these men!"

"You'll have time to get to know the man you choose. The wedding isn't going to happen instantly. Your parents aren't going to push you into the marriage that quickly."

"I wonder about that," Rin muttered darkly, silently deciding that her parents probably would marry her off quickly if they could so she didn't change her mind.

"Cheer up, Rin! No man is going to want anything to do with you if you're ill tempered."

"You're right. At least I'm given the choice."

"Exactly! Now cheer up because I think we're coming up to a town!"

Rin glanced out the window, her earlier ill humour disappearing and replaced by anxiety over who she was about to meet. She hoped it would be someone as nice as Shippo had been, but she somehow doubted that any of these princes were alike in any way. The grasslands that had been present in Shippo's land were still present but Rin noted that there were clusters of trees scattered about and over all, she was rather pleased with what she saw. It was very pretty. In the distance she could see a town and as it grew closer, she saw a remarkable similarity between it and the ones she had visited in her own kingdom. Relaxing somewhat, she smiled to herself as she watched the scenery go past the window. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

The town they eventually reached was quite large in comparison to the others they had visited, but there was a pleasant atmosphere that made Rin smile. The dusty streets were lined with happy people talking amongst themselves as they went about their business and children played happily in open grassy areas between buildings. Overall, Rin decided that his was the best town they had visited so far. It was obvious that this prince was the attentive to the needs of his people. The coach came to a stop outside a large building that looked like a smaller version of the castle she grew up in. There was a spring in Rin's step as she walked toward a short plump man standing nearby. Smiling politely, she curtsied to him and was rewarded with a cheerful smile as he bowed to her.

"Lady Rin," he said quietly. "It is an honour for you to be here. I will take you to the prince immediately."

Rin glanced at Kagome who merely shrugged and started to follow the man. Evidently this man was one o the prince's advisors if he had come out to greet them. Pushing away her thoughts of the prince, Rin looked around as they walked through the castle. There were no carpets on the stone floor and the sound of their shoes echoed loudly around them as they made their way down a corridor. The windows were small and high up on the wall, not allowing much light to enter and there were large torches mounted on the walls that she assumed would be lit at night. Every so often, they would pass an alcove in the wall where a statue or plant of some kind would be sitting, waiting for someone to notice it. More often than not the plants were dying which Rin though was a shame, but kept her opinions to herself as they came to a stop in front of an ordinary looking door at the end of a particularly long corridor. Their guide pushed the door open after knocking and waiting for a moment and ushered the two women inside.

Rin's eyebrow rose as she glanced quickly around the room. This room was completely different to the rest of the castle and she could only assume that it was somehow connected to the prince's own chambers. A thin carpet covered the floor and windows that were larger than those outside the room allowed more light into the room but still not enough to see into the darker corners of the room where the shadows gathered. In place of a chair where she would have assumed the prince would be sitting, there were a few rather comfortable looking armchairs just in front of the fireplace and Rin's suspicions were confirmed. This was not a throne room. This was the prince's antechamber. There were two other doors, one leading to the right and the other to the left, but Rin didn't want to guess where they led.

Before she could continue her examination of the room, the door on the right opened and a woman stepped out. Rin and Kagome glanced at her and then realised that she was a maid when the man who had brought them to the room dismissed her with a nod. She had been quite pretty and Rin wondered why she was alone with the prince and then decided that she probably didn't want to know. Moments later, the door on the left opened and a dark haired man stepped out. Rin glanced at him and wondered who he was. The man who had brought them to the room was dressed in lavish clothes that were obviously expensive and clearly showed his position in society, but the man who had just stepped into the room was quite plain in comparison. He wore black and purple robes that reminded her of the attire the priests and monks had worn back in her kingdom and a smile threatened to cross her face as she imagined their expressions if they were to see this man. Purple robes would definitely be a scandal! Mentally slapping herself for lapsing into ridiculous thoughts, she looked back at the man. A purple glove covered one hand and a rosary of some kind was wrapped around that. His dark hair was pulled back and his messy bangs stood out at odd angles. What amused Rin the most was that the man was dressed like a priest but his ear was pierced which she knew meant he was definitely not a member of the clergy. This was probably the most exotic looking person she had seen so far and she had to struggle to contain her giggle at his strange appearance.

"Ah! You must be Lady Rin!" the man said when he saw them.

Rin curtsied, bowing her head to hide her amusement. "I am. This is my companion, Kagome."

"A pleasure to meet you both! I have been wondering when you would arrive here. I have been most eager to meet you."

"You are the prince?" Rin questioned in surprise.

The man laughed. "I don't look much like one, do I?"

"No, but you definitely don't look like one of the clergy."

"Ah, that is behind me. They didn't approve of my methods," he said sadly, shaking his head before grinning at the two women and bowing. "I am Miroku. I am indeed the prince that you are here to see."

"I dread to think what your methods were if the clergy didn't approve," Rin said with a teasing smile, instantly liking the man.

The trio laughed quietly over the comment for a short while and Rin looked him over again. He was a nice person and she instantly felt at ease in his company. Perhaps he would be the one she chose. So far, he was making a very good first impression and Kagome seemed to approve as well if her smile was anything to go by. Miroku looked at Rin seriously for a moment and then a devious smile tugged his lips, which made Rin slightly wary of his intentions and wonder if she should rethink her ideas of choosing him. In the blink of an eye, Miroku was standing before her and had taken one of her hands in his. He looked into her surprised eyes and lifted her hand to his lips.

"Might I ask something of you, Lady Rin?" he asked softly.

"What would it be?" Rin queried, frowning slightly as she wondered if she had the wrong impression of this man.

Miroku stood upright and grinned, his hand still holding Rin's. "Would you bear my children?"

A shocked silence fell over the room in the wake of that statement. The silence was broken after a while by Kagome's muffled giggles and the advisor advancing towards his prince and berating him about the inappropriateness of that statement at such a time. Rin stared at the man in front of her, not entirely sure how she was supposed to respond to that. Her answer, of course, was no, but her voice escaped her. He looked at her expectantly, completely ignoring his advisor's shouts and Kagome's giggles.

"You are here in search of a husband, are you not?" Miroku said after a while. "I want children so we should marry!"

"It's not that simple, my lord!" the advisor said, his face flushed from his shouting and small beads of perspiration forming on his forehead.

"Of course it is!" Miroku said impatiently, turning away to look at the plump man at his side. "Both of us would get what we want so it's a good idea!"

"I regret to tell you that I do not wish to have any children just yet," Rin said eventually when she found her voice.

"Oh," Miroku's face fell and then his eyes slid over to Kagome. "Never mind then!"

Rin shook her head and smiled slightly at his behaviour. It was very much like a child and she couldn't help but find it endearing. Looking back at the man, she watched his gaze fall on Kagome and smothered her giggle as she realised what he was about to do. Sure enough, seconds later he was standing beside Kagome and had taken her hand in his just as he had done with Rin.

"Would you bear my children?" he asked earnestly.

Kagome stared at him in shock, but was not given the chance to reply when a sudden crash from the doorway broke the silence. The group turned to find the woman from before standing in the door way with a dismayed look on her face and a tray on the floor at her feet with shattered cups and plates littering the floor.

"Forgive me," she muttered and bent down to begin collecting the broken crockery.

"It's no trouble!" Miroku said with a smile as he wandered over to where she knelt and began to help her pick up the pieces, completely forgetting that Kagome had yet to answer his question.

The two other women in the room exchanged a knowing look and Rin smiled as she turned her gaze back to the kneeling pair. She frowned slightly when she thought she saw Miroku's hand on the woman's thigh but shook away the thought. He wouldn't do such a thing, he was a prince after all. Her thoughts were proved wrong when a loud slap echoed through the room and the woman beside the prince was on her feet, her face flushed and a frown creasing her brow. Miroku still knelt on the floor, his hand covering his bright red cheek and he sighed softly before getting to his feet. The woman fled the room and disappeared down the corridor while Miroku sat down heavily in one of the armchairs. The advisor shook his head and left the room after asking if she would accompany him to see if the other woman was all right. Sighing softly, Rin crossed the room to sit in the armchair directly across from where Miroku sat. He looked up when he heard her approach and smiled sheepishly before looking away.

"I'm afraid I've not given you the best impression of me," Miroku said sadly after a while.

"Don't fret. I don't think any less of you," Rin said with a vague smile.

"I meant what I asked you earlier."

"I know you did, but I think that's probably how you ended up in this situation, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked with a frown.

"You're asking the wrong woman."

"I am?"

"You care for her, don't you?"

"Of course I do! She just doesn't like me!"

"I'm sure she does. Why not tell her how you feel?"

"Would she listen?" the prince questioned doubtfully.

"Kagome went to see her so I'm sure she will listen when you decide to tell her," Rin replied with a smile.

"If I do that, I will not longer be eligible to marry you," Miroku warned.

"Do what makes you happy. There are still three more men I have yet to meet."

"Then I will do as you suggest."

*-*-*-*-*

During the brief time Rin and Kagome stayed at the castle, Miroku eventually found the courage to confess to the woman he cared for. After spending some time together, Rin discovered that her name was Sango and that she was a very nice person. She and Kagome had become fast friends and she had supported Kagome's ideas about waiting for fairy tale princes and their white stallions much to Rin's amusement. Fortunately, Sango seemed to understand her predicament and was supportive. The women had exchanged tearful goodbyes and promised to write to each other. Therefore, the two women left Miroku's kingdom after making two new friends this time instead of just one.

"Do you think they'll marry?" Rin asked Kagome as they left the town behind them in a cloud of dust.

"Probably," Kagome said with a smile. "It'd be nice if they did. I imagine Sango will have her hands full trying to make sure he behaves himself though. What a lecher!"

Rin laughed. "They make a good couple, I think. Sango is more than capable of putting him straight."

"How many people are left to meet?"

"Three," Rin said with a slight frown as she looked down at the worn looking list in her hand.

"None of them have appealed to you so far?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "One is obsessed with you, another I don't think I could see as more than a friend and the last has declared his love for another woman. None of them are what I'm looking for anyway."

"What are you looking for?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I don't know, but my instincts tell me that they are not it."

"I hope you find what you're looking for."

"So do I."


	5. Chapter 5

"_**You may conquer with the sword, **_

_**But you are conquered by a kiss."**_

… **Daniel Heinsius … **

**V****: ****The Brothers**

Rin had been left with many things to think about after they had left Miroku's castle. She had easily spotted the budding relationship between Miroku and Sango and helped them realise their feelings for one another, but now that she had time away from the pair to think over the situation, she found herself confused. When it came to matters of romance, Rin was not ashamed to admit that she was inexperienced in comparison to other women her age. When she thought back to the couple they had just left behind, she wondered if love was hard to spot. The love the pair had had for each other had been blatantly obvious to Rin and yet it didn't seem to be the same for Miroku and Sango. Did that mean that one had difficulty recognising that they were in love with someone and that someone felt the same way? A frown creased her brow as she thought about how stupid that. Surely, this last case had simply been the pair of them being unobservant.

Sighing to herself, she looked out the window and tried to push the thoughts away. There was no point dwelling on such a thought. Rin knew that she would not being given the chance to experience love for herself so she would never find the answer to those questions. Even though she was now not quite as despondent as before about this task that she had to complete, she still wished that she had a bit more time to experience the thrill of romance without the threat of marriage hanging over her head. She could only hope that whoever she married would be patient and understanding of her inexperience.

A tap on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts and Rin turned in her seat to find Kagome looking at her with a concerned expression on her face. Trying to decide what her friend was worried about, Rin glanced out the window and gasped in surprise when she realised that the coach had stopped and the door was open. The coach driver stood beside the door with a bemused expression on his face as he held open the door and waited patiently to help the women out.

"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed quietly. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past minute or so and you've been ignoring me!"

"What's wrong?"

"We've arrived."

"We have?" Rin asked in surprise.

Kagome didn't reply as she stepped out of the coach with an irritated frown on her face. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her friend to follow and was about to turn around and pull the petite woman from the carriage when Rin appeared, smiling gratefully at the driver as she accepted his help. Kagome glared at her friend but said nothing as a short man came towards them. Rin inwardly giggled as she noted that he was rather plump and his double chin made him look a little like a rather fat toad. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Rin curtsied to the man and smiled as Kagome hastily copied her actions.

"We have been anticipating your arrival," the man said in a whiny voice that didn't seem to suit his appearance.

"I apologise for our tardiness," Rin said respectfully.

"Ah! No matter!" The man said hastily and gestured for them to follow. "I have been asked to see you to your rooms where you can freshen up before meeting the royal family."

Rin nodded silently and followed the man into the building. It was enormous and she couldn't help but stare at it in disbelief. Her home had been a rather small castle, but this was a palace. An exquisite one at that. It was constructed of stone like the others had been, but it was ornately furnished. Every item of furniture was of the highest quality, even the small pieces that sat in the alcoves that occasionally appeared in a corridor. The stone floor was covered by a thick, dark red carpet that muffled their footsteps. One wall of the corridor was simply enormous windows that flooded the place with light and Rin smiled as she looked around. It was a beautiful place.

"These are your rooms," the man said as he stopped beside a door and gestured to the one beside it. "I will return in one hour to take you to the royal family."

*-*-*-*-*

An hour later, Rin stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom and looked at her reflection critically. She had worn her best dress and taken a long time to make sure that her hair and make up was perfect, but she still frowned at what she saw looking back at her. Sighing, she stepped away from the mirror and sat down on the edge of the bed as she slipped her feet into her shoes. She got the distinct impression that this family was very different from the others they had visited so far so she decided to try very hard to make a good impression. A knock on the door caused her to look up. Getting to her feet, she opened it and found the man from before waiting for her with Kagome just behind him.

"If you are ready, would you please follow me?" he requested politely as he took off down the corridor at an alarming speed for such an old man.

After a walk that seemed to take hours, Rin and Kagome watched in bewilderment as the man approached a door flanked by armed guards and gestured towards the door. Immediately, the two guards pushed the door open and the man stride forward like a man on a mission. The room the two women found themselves in reminded Rin rather painfully of the throne at home and she felt a twinge of homesickness. Pushing it aside, she stepped into the room and followed the man a few paces behind.

"The guests have arrived, my Lord," the man said with a clumsy bow that made Rin's eyes widen in surprise. He had seemed so efficient and perfect at everything.

"Ah, you must be Seiji and Tsukiko's daughter," a pleasant male voice said.

"Yes, my Lord," Rin replied, curtsying gracefully as she spoke. "Allow me to introduce my friend and travelling companion, Kagome Higurashi."

"There is no need for such formality, Lady Rin," a feminine voice said with mild amusement.

Rin looked up with a vague smile as she noted the woman's amusement and felt her breath catch in her throat as her gaze fell on the two people sitting sedately on the dais in front of her. The woman had a warm smile on her face and looked so beautiful that it was a wonder most of the women in the room still had the confidence to appear beside her. Her long black hair hung loose around her shoulders and she seemed good-natured, but it was the man beside her that caught Rin's attention. He looked no older than her father did and his long silver hair was tied back in a ponytail. A pleasant smile tugged his lips even though his intense amber eyes seemed to look her over very carefully. Rin noted that he wore armour and had two swords at his hip and once again felt a shiver run down her spine at the sight of the weapons.

"I am Inutaisho," the man said after a moment. "I am the King and this is my wife, Izayoi."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, dear," Izayoi said with a smile. "Your father has told us so much about you!"

"He has?" Rin questioned dumbly, wondering why her father would speak of her to these people.

"Indeed he has!" Inutaisho said with a grin. "But we shall go elsewhere to speak."

Her body moved although her mind didn't register where she was going. Rin stared ahead of her as she was lead down a corridor by the couple and nodded dumbly as Izayoi chatted happily to her. Eventually, her mind seemed to clear when she found herself sitting in what was obviously the library with a cup of tea on the table in front of her. She was slightly surprised that all this had taken place without her noticing, but decided it was probably best to press on with the matters at hand.

"We have wanted to meet you for so long!" Izayoi said with a smile. "You're all your father talks about! He's a very proud father, you know."

"You know my parents?" Rin asked in confusion.

"Of course," Inutaisho said with a grin. "Everyone knows who your parents are, but I suppose you could say that we are friends."

"I do hope you'll forgive us, dear," Izayoi said quietly, an unsure look on her face suddenly.

"Forgive you?"

"You got dragged into this whole situation because we mentioned that it was time our sons married. We never thought your parents would agree that you should marry as well."

Rin smiled uncertainly. "Please don't worry. I know my father simply wants what is best for me."

"Oh, I wish our sons were as understanding as you!" Izayoi exclaimed dramatically.

"We do understand, we just don't agree with the idea," a gruff voice said suddenly.

"I am not your son," another deep masculine voice added.

Everyone turned in surprise to look towards the door. Rin slowly raised her eyes from the cup of tea clutched tightly in her hands and inhaled sharply when he gaze fell on the two men standing in the doorway. They looked remarkably similar and could have passed for twins. The shorter man grinned crookedly when he looked her way as he leaned casually against the doorframe while his brother stood as far away from his sibling as he could, his arms crossed over his broad chest and a cold expression on his face. Inutaisho grinned and gestured to the empty seats.

"Welcome, boys," he said proudly. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to join us."

The two men sat down on the empty sofa and put as much space between them as possible much to Rin's amusement. Both the males had silver hair and amber eyes like their father and the three looked more like brothers than the parent and children that they were. For the second time that day, Rin felt a shiver run down her spine when her gaze landed on the swords both men carried. Hastily, she looked away and returned her gaze to her tea.

"Is this the poor woman who's going to marry, Sesh?" the shorter man asked, turning his gaze to Rin whose eyes widened in surprised at being addressed so suddenly. "What an awful fate."

A howl of pain echoed throughout the room as the other brother landed a hard blow on his sibling's head. "Idiot. It has not been decided. She may face a worse fate."

"What's worse than being married to you?" the first brother demanded with a glare.

"Being married to you."

"That's enough!" a stern voice interrupted and both brothers turned to look apologetically at their father. Shaking his head, Inutaisho looked at Rin and then gestured to his sons. "I apologise for their behaviour, Lady Rin. These are my sons, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru."

"Please don't worry," Rin said quietly, aware that all eyes in the room were now focused on her. "Their behaviour has caused no trouble so it matters not."

"Hm," Inutaisho murmured thoughtfully before glaring at his sons. "You're lucky we have such an understanding guest. Others would not tolerate such behaviour."

"How has your journey been this far, dear?" Izayoi asked hastily, trying to stop the argument before it began.

"It has been… interesting," Rin said quietly, smiling vaguely as she thought of the people she had met so far.

"Has she met anyone suitable yet?" Inutaisho asked Kagome who jumped slightly at the sudden attention.

"No," Kagome said with a fond smile at her friend. "Her standards are quite high."

Inutaisho laughed. "As they should be! Princesses do not settle for just anyone!"

Rin smiled as she listened and had to agreed that her standards were quite high. As everyone else talked amongst themselves, her mind wandered and she found herself thinking of the two men she had met today. They were by far the most interesting of all the princes she had met so far. Inuyasha was the shorter man and she got the impression he did many things just to get a rise out of his brother. He was quite boisterous and always seemed to have a grin ready but his grin could also turn into a scowl at the drop of a hat. Sesshoumaru, on the hand, was quite different. Unlike his brother, he was quiet and seemed to prefer to let his brother do all the talking while he sat in the background. Sighing to herself, she turned her attention back to the conversation and away from the handsome men opposite her.

*-*-*-*-*

Later that evening, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru walked in silence towards their rooms after their meeting with their parents and guests. They were both lost in their thoughts until Inuyasha eventually stopped and looked out a large window at the moon as he sighed. Sesshoumaru paused briefly and looked curiously at his brother, wondering what would cause his boisterous sibling to behave so. Shrugging away the thought, he turned around and was about to take a step forward when Inuyasha's voice stopped him.

"What do you think of her, Sesh?" Inuyasha asked quietly, leaning against a nearby wall and staring up at the ceiling.

"There isn't anything in particular that makes her stand out from the long list of other women we have yet to meet," Sesshoumaru replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"She's strange. I expected her to go to pieces when we stepped into the room as the others did."

"Does her having more sense make her strange?"

"I suppose not, but it's been a long time since something like that happened," Inuyasha said before pausing to frown slightly. "If I'm honest though, her friend interested me more."

"It's a shame she's not a noble then," Sesshoumaru said and once again turned to leave.

"We can't get out of it this time, Sesh," Inuyasha said softly. "I think we should take this seriously."

"You can do as you please, Inuyasha," the elder brother said coldly. "It would take a very special woman indeed to change my mind."

Leaving his shocked brother in the corridor, Sesshoumaru disappeared around the corner and into his chambers. He knew Inuyasha was right, but he refused to admit it. There was much to consider and he had very little time to arrive at a conclusion. Now that that woman's friend had caught his brother's eye, Sesshoumaru didn't doubt that Inuyasha would go out of his way to make his presence known to her and if that happened, no doubt he would be seeing more of these two women in the not too distant future.


	6. Chapter 6

"_**Confine your kissing to the irresistible."**_

… **Sir Rudolf Bing … **

**VI****: ****The Younger**

After the first good night's sleep since she had left home, Rin awoke with a bright smile. Rin and Kagome had been given a day or to accustom themselves to their surroundings before Rin would start the process of getting to know the brothers. During that time, Rin had already noticed how Inuyasha's eyes had a habit of wandering in Kagome's direction and how Kagome's topics of conversation had now deviated from the usual 'Prince Charming' and fairy tale nonsense to mostly involving the very man who couldn't seem to take his eyes from her. Once again, Rin began to wonder if those in love were blind to its presence until informed of it and sighed heavily as she let her thoughts drift back to the questions she had put to herself not too long ago. She was very pleased for Kagome and for Inuyasha if that was how they felt for each despite knowing each other such a short time, but she wondered if it was truly love. Pushing away the thoughts, she began to devise a plan that would allow her to watch their budding relationship grow.

"You're spending the day with me," Inuyasha informed her bluntly a short while later when he appeared at her bedroom door.

"Am I?" Rin asked with a vague smile. "I'll fetch Kagome then."

"Why is she coming?" the younger brother asked in confusion when Rin reappeared a short while later with a bemused Kagome.

"She's my chaperone!" Rin said cheerfully. "It's most inappropriate for a young, unmarried woman to spend time alone with a man!"

Shaking his head at the petite woman, Inuyasha stalked away down the corridor with Rin and Kagome following at a leisurely pace. Kagome glanced at her friend but couldn't find any clues as to what she was thinking since Rin kept a cheerful smile on her face. Rin knew her friend was suspicious of her actions, but kept her smile in place as the trio made their way out into the large gardens that surrounded the palace. Sitting down gracefully under the shade of a large tree, Rin watched quietly as Inuyasha sat opposite her while Kagome chose to sit beside her. Perhaps they weren't aware of their feelings?

"Let's just get one thing straight," Inuyasha said gruffly, crossing his arms and looking away from the two women. "I don't want to marry you and you probably don't want to marry me. Can you just tell my parents you're not interested in me?"

"As you wish," Rin acquiesced.

"You agreed so easily!"

"I feel the same way so what's the point in arguing?"

Inuyasha's eyes lit up. "So we can be friends?"

"If you wish."

With that matter settled, the trio fell into conversation easily as though they were close friends who had not seen each other in a long time. Rin said little as she watched the other two interact and remained seated when the pair wandered off. Sighing softly, she leaned her head back against the tree she leaned against and closed her eyes. In her mind, she was back at home enjoying the life she had left behind but as soon as she opened them again, reality came crashing down around her. Her gaze slid over to the pair who had left her to her own devices and a small smile cross her lips as she watched them laugh cheerfully as though they had not a care in the world. How simple life seemed to be for them.

Her smile vanished instantly as she thought of her future. If she was totally honest, finding a husband was not necessarily the worst thing that could happen to her. The knowledge that one day she would become queen bothered her the most. She didn't want to inherit the throne and every time she thought about where her future lay, she wished that she had a sibling. If she had a brother then the throne would automatically pass to him even if she were the eldest. Briefly, she wondered if it wasn't too late to convince her parents to adopt a son but pushed the thought aside knowing that the throne could not go to someone who was not of royal blood. She remembered overhearing this particular fact when she was a child and sat beside her father in one of his many meetings. One of the many advisors had smiled at her and explained that throne would only go to people of royal blood. That had meant that if she did not want to assume the role of managing the kingdom, she had to marry royalty as her husband would automatically assume the role as king and she could do as she pleased, but the situation was the complete opposite if she were to marry nobility instead of royalty.

A frustrated sigh left her lips as she closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. She didn't understand the importance of it all. Did it really matter that much if her husband was a noble or royalty? Didn't amount to the same in the end? The kingdom would have a king and queen regardless of which type of man she married, but one option meant that her role was more significant than that of her husband and she doubted that that sort of thing would sit well with any man. Hr life thus far had been a simple one and she knew better than to complain about the troubles she faced a member of the royal family when others had it much worse, but she simply wished that she could be allowed to make her own decisions. The threat of an arranged marriage had hung over her head since she was a child and she knew that there was nothing she could do about it. She rarely travelling outside the kingdom with her parents which meant that her connections were limited to the people who worked within the castle and that she had little chance of being courted by a suitable man. Frowning ferociously, she cursed her stubbornness as a child when it came to travelling. She was certainly paying the price for it now. Maybe this was punishment for something she did in a previous life?

Unbeknownst to Rin and her two friends, a silent figure stood beside a window on the uppermost floor of the palace and watched the trio interacting. The figure's shoulders seemed to slump slightly as the figure leaned against the wall beside the window. Lifting a hand to run through his hair, Sesshoumaru sighed softly and turned back to the trio outside. It seemed that they were getting along well which meant that the chances of him being the one to marry the woman were slim. That was a good thing, wasn't it? Frowning at his sudden bout of indecisiveness, Sesshoumaru pushed himself quickly off the wall and stalked down the corridor to his chambers, slamming the door behind him. He dropped down heavily into the chair and immersed himself in some work his father had given him. Thinking about marrying that woman was stupid. He didn't want to marry anyone and a simpering miss like her was definitely not what he wanted. Tomorrow it would be his turn to spend the day in her company and he would make sure that he made it crystal clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.

*-*-*-*-*

Inutaisho grinned widely as he sat down in the small living room and wrapped an around his wife. Inuyasha was in high spirits which was rare and a blessing when it happened as it allowed everyone to relax and not fear him exploding in anger. He glanced around the room and his grin faded with each face he came to. Kagome and Izayoi were chatting excitedly about something while Inuyasha sat beside Kagome with a rather strange look on his face that his father had never seen before. Sesshoumaru was as reserved as ever and sat in a chair at the back of the room, as far away from everyone as he could get, but the person that caught his attention the most was Rin. The smiling woman from the day before seemed to have disappeared and she paid very little attention to what was taking place around her. Like Sesshoumaru, she had distanced herself from everyone and was gazing into the blazing fire with a thoughtful look and a slight frown.

So, how did today go?" Inutaisho asked, eager to hear the details as he looked between Rin and Inuyasha.

Momentary silence met his question and he frowned slightly at the obvious reluctance to answer. Rin had not moved to look at him or make an attempt to reply, but her frown had become quite intense and her lips were set in a grim line that didn't promise good news. On the other side of the room, Inuyasha shifted slightly in his seat and glanced towards the door as though he hoped he could make a run for it and avoid answering the awkward question. He seemed to realise that there was no point in running and sighed before turning his gaze to his father.

"It was fine," Inuyasha said simply, sending a glance across the room to where Rin sat.

"What did you do?" Izayoi asked with a smile.

"We talked and made some decisions," the younger son said with a nonchalant shrug, eager to change the topic of conversation.

"What decisions did you make?" Inutaisho asked seriously. "You didn't threaten Rin like you did the last woman we suggested you marry, did you? I made it perfectly clear last time that I will not tolerate bad behaviour."

Sesshoumaru watched the scene unfold with a slight smirk tugging his lips. The memory of what had happened the last time almost made him chuckle. While he had managed to weasel his way out of meeting women his parents deemed suitable for him to marry, Inuyasha had failed to follow suit. He had ended up meeting a woman who had pushed him to the very limits of patience and continued to do so until he could take no more. The woman had a very serious case of what Izayoi liked to call 'verbal diarrhoea' and Inuyasha had had to listen to her pointless and mind numbingly dull tales for three days before he finally reached his limit. During one particularly dull tale of the men eager to court her, Inuyasha had sprung to his feet and threatened to behead her if she did not cease her talking at once. The woman had stared at him in shock before fleeing from the palace grounds much to Sesshoumaru's amusement. Now, as he waited expectantly to hear what his brother had done this time, Sesshoumaru had difficulty containing to chuckle that threatened to burst forth as he recalled that memory.

"Inuyasha did not behave inappropriately," Rin said quietly, her gaze still fixed on the fire and ignoring the looks sent her way. "He was quite the gentleman as a matter of fact."

"That is a relief," Inutaisho said with a sigh. "So what decisions did you make?"

"I'm afraid Inuyasha is not the man I will marry."

"I see. Why's that?"

Rin turned to look at the small group for the first time that evening and smiled slightly as she looked at Inuyasha's expectant face and Inutaisho's curious expression. It was obvious that Inuyasha feared she would tell his father exactly what he had told her earlier that day, but she simply smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner.

"I do not desire a husband so much that I am willing to cause unhappiness in the process," she said quietly, turning her gaze back to the fire.

"I don't understand," Inutaisho admitted, voicing the confusion that everyone in the room seemed to feel.

"Could it be that you haven't noticed?" Rin murmured softly, looking around at the confused expressions that surrounded her. "Perhaps I am the only one who has noticed."

"Noticed what?" Inuyasha asked, leaning forward, eager to hear what Rin had to say.

"It's quite a shame that you haven't even noticed, but I suppose it can't be helped if I must voice it for you." Turning to Inutaisho, Rin smiled slightly. "Have you not noticed the budding relationship blossoming between Inuyasha and Kagome? She is very dear to me and I would see her happy even if it requires a sacrifice from me."

The silence that followed that statement was quite oppressive and Rin wondered if perhaps she had said the wrong thing. Sesshoumaru stared at the petite woman in surprise. How had she arrived at that conclusion? Or was it simply an excuse to get out of marriage? He frowned slightly and glanced over at the couple she had mentioned only for his eyes to widen in surprise. Inuyasha was desperately trying to avoid his father's questioning gaze while Kagome blushed prettily and stared at her hands. If their lack of denial at the accusation didn't give away that what Rin spoke was the truth, the expressions certainly did. The look of guilt on both their faces was unmistakeable and Sesshoumaru could only stare at Rin in disbelief. He had absolutely no idea how she had noticed that, but he supposed she had spent more time with the pair than he did.

"It's very nice that Inuyasha has finally started to take notice of women," Inutaisho said with a frown. "But marrying a princess's chaperone instead of the princess? Do you have any idea how inappropriate that is? Have we not told you that you must marry nobility if not royalty?"

"I can understand your worries, my Lord," Rin interrupted smoothly before Inuyasha could reply. "Allow me to ease your worries."

"Please do, Lady Rin," Inutaisho replied, raising an eyebrow at her sudden formality.

"Kagome is my chaperone and travelling companion, but that does not mean she is not nobility."

"You are saying that she is?" Izayoi asked, hope evident in her voice.

"Of course she is. She is the daughter of one of my father's most trusted advisors."

"Is this true?" Inutaisho asked, looking at Kagome for confirmation.

"It is, my Lord. My late father was one of the King's advisor's, but perhaps Rin exaggerates slightly."

"I think not," Rin said with a frown. "My father would not have made sure that you and your mother were suitably looked after if your father was just another advisor."

"I suppose that is true," Kagome conceded after a pause.

"Well, in that case we have no objection to any relationship between the two of you," Inutaisho said with a grin. "It's a shame that you and Rin didn't marry, but we still have Sesshoumaru to pin our hopes on."

All eyes except Rin's turned to the elder son who merely glared back much to everyone's amusement. Turning her gaze back to the fire, Rin lost herself in her thoughts once again. Yet again, she had turned away one of the princes and now she had only two left to choose from. Sighing to herself, Rin realised that she was going to have to take mattes a bit more seriously now if she wanted to avoid being married off to a man her parents' chose for her.


	7. Chapter 7

"_**The decision to kiss for the first time is the most crucial in any love story.**_

_**It changes the relationship between two people much more strongly than even the final surrender;**_

_**Because this kiss already has within it that surrender."**_

… **Emil Ludwig …**

**VII****: ****The Elder**

There had been much rejoicing after Inutaisho and Izayoi had consented to a relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome. Sesshoumaru had stayed in his seat the entire time and watched the others talking cheerfully amongst themselves, but his gaze drifted over to the very woman who had noticed this relationship more often than not. It was evident that there was something weighing heavily on her mind since the smile she had seemed eager to give over the past few days was not present and her mind was clearly elsewhere. She had excused herself early that night although no one but him had noticed her leave. Now, he stood in front of her door, staring at it as though he had never seen such a thing before. He knew that he should knock and get this day over with, but he found himself rooted to the spot and his limbs refusing to cooperate. Sighing to himself, he finally managed to lift an arm and was just about to knock when the door opened to reveal a slightly startled Rin.

"My Lord?" she questioned in a voiced that betrayed her surprise.

"I came to fetch you, Lady Rin," Sesshoumaru muttered, lowering his hand and crossing his arms.

"We are to spend the day together?" Rin asked, slightly unnerved by the elder brother's cold attitude.

"Indeed. Follow me."

Rin paused for a moment before stepping out of her room and following the stoic prince down the corridor. Much like the day before, she found herself in the gardens except that this was a part of the gardens she had not seen before. Izayoi had given her and Kagome a tour of her precious gardens and Rin had not seen this part. They had passed through a small gap in a tall hedge and the well kept gardens had simply disappeared. In their place was long grass that Rin could feel tickling the backs of her knees beneath her long skirts and shrubbery left to run wild. Strangely enough, the place was not unappealing as one might expect and Rin immediately saw the beauty of the place and felt the tension of the past few days instantly leave her.

From the corner of his eye, Sesshoumaru watched a smile spread across Rin's face as she looked around this wild portion of the garden. He had noticed the change in her behaviour since her arrival and had to admit that he was curious about the cause of the change. He would never admit it aloud, but admitting it to himself was just fine. Rin's lithe figure walking past him into the clearing they had stopped in brought his attention back to the present. Her back was turned to him which gave him the ideal opportunity to look her over carefully. If he was to take anyone as a wife, she would have to be perfect in every way and Sesshoumaru was almost certain that Rin was as far away from perfect as one could get. She was too short for a start. If he were to stand beside her, he was sure that she would not even reach his shoulders. She was slim, but her hour glass figure and busty chest could turn heads and he was almost certain that the heads she would turn would be all male.

"What is this place?" Rin asked quietly, turning to look at him.

"A section of the garden that is not in use," Sesshoumaru said with a shrug as he sat down heavily beneath the nearest tree.

"It's beautiful," came the reply. "And so peaceful."

Raising an eyebrow, Sesshoumaru regarded Rin carefully as she sat down not too far away and looked around her. Without warning, she felt backwards into the grass causing Sesshoumaru to sit upright hastily fearing that something was wrong. After a moment, she rolled onto her side and smiled at him before closing her eyes. Resisting the urge to mutter a few curses about worrying him aloud, Sesshoumaru leaned back against the tree again.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Rin murmured after a while, cracking an eye open to look at him.

"Do what?"

"Sit here with me. I know you don't want to be here."

"I'm here because my father asked me to be here. You are not going to marry me, but I am still obligated to do what he asks of me," Sesshoumaru said coldly.

"Hmm, I suppose my decision has already been made for me then," Rin said quietly, rolling onto her back and staring up at the sky through the branches.

Thinking over the brief and slightly unpleasant conversation she had just had, Rin closed her eyes and sighed to herself. The fifth prince had rejected her before she could even form a proper opinion of him, but she supposed it just made her decision that much easier in the end. She would have to choose the last prince since she did not want her parents to choose a husband for her. From the moment she had first met Sesshoumaru, she knew that they would not get along and she had doubted that he would be the one she would marry; now he had just made it clear to her. Pushing herself upright, Rin looked at Sesshoumaru seriously.

"Since there is nothing more that needs to be said, there is very little point in either of us remaining here," Rin said as she stood up and dusted off her dress. "Thank you for making my decision so much easier."

Without a word, Rin turned on her heel and walked back the way they had come only a short while before, leaving Sesshoumaru staring after her with an expression of mild surprise. He wasn't entirely sure what she had meant when she had thanked him or indeed if she had meant those words or was simply being sarcastic. The woman was a conundrum and he did not like that which he would not understand. He was tempted to go after her and find out exactly what she meant, but when he looked in the direction she had gone, he realised that she must have already reached the palace. Shrugging his shoulders, he closed his eyes. What difference did it make to him who the woman married? He didn't know anything about her and would probably never see her again after she left the palace. Still, her words irked him. Perhaps he would have to just go after her and ask what she meant even though he didn't like admitting that he did not understand.

*-*-*-*-*

"What did you want to talk to us about, dear?" Izayoi asked with a smile when Rin requested to speak with the King and Queen.

"I was simply going to ask if I may stay a while longer," Rin asked politely, slightly surprised that she had managed to see them so soon when she assumed they would be busy.

"Of course you can!" Inutaisho said with a grin. "Are you getting along that well with Sesshoumaru?"

Rin sighed to herself. "Actually, this has nothing to do with him. My reasons for staying are simply that there are some letters I must send and I need the replies rather urgently. If I were to leave, they would not reach me which could cause a problem."

"Oh, I see," Inutaisho said, nodding as he spoke before grinning at her again. "You are most welcome to stay as long as you wish."

Sesshoumaru had just walked into the palace and was walking past the throne room when the door opened and once again, Rin took him by surprise. He scowled inwardly, she seemed to enjoy startling him if she had done this twice in one day. He noted that she seemed just as surprised to see him standing in the corridor , but after recovering, she curtsied politely to him and walked away without saying a word about their earlier encounter. Frowning at her retreating figure, Sesshoumaru continued down that same corridor until Inuyasha stepped out in front of him.

"You're not having much luck, are you Sesh?" Inuyasha asked, shaking his head slightly. "You'll never get her to marry you if you carry on like this."

"I never intended to marry her from the beginning," Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, his patience reaching its limits.

"I told you that you should take this more seriously, didn't I?"

"Did I not tell you that I'm not interested in marriage?"

"It doesn't matter whether your interested in marriage or not. If you carry on like this, you will end up marrying an old crone and regretting it for the rest of your life."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "I doubt our parents would consent to an old woman becoming my wife, Inuyasha."

"No, they probably wouldn't, but have you seen some of the women they consider good enough to be your wife? Some of them look like the wrong end of a dog!"

"That is very rude, Inuyasha," Kagome's voice drifted towards the arguing siblings as she approached them. "Surely none of them are that bad?"

"They are!" Inuyasha insisted before frowning at her. "Where are you off to?"

"I'm going to Rin's room," she said with a smile. "She needs my help with something apparently."

Inuyasha rounded on his brother and frowned. "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing."

"What did you say then?"

"Only what she already knew."

"No, no!" Kagome exclaimed, interrupting before the argument became physical. "She wants my help with some letters."

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru paused their verbal battle to look at the woman beside them. She lifted her arms slightly and they realised that she carried parchment and ink in her hands. They glanced at each other, now intrigued about whom Rin could be writing to.

"Who're the letters for?" Inuyasha asked, voicing Sesshoumaru's own silent question.

"One's for her parents," Kagome said with a smile before she frowned. "I don't know who the others are for, but there can be only one reason why Rin's writing to her parents."

"Do enlighten us," Sesshoumaru muttered sarcastically.

Kagome shook her head at his words and paused for a moment. "Although I wasn't present for this conversation, Rin says that her parents requested that she wrote to them when her journey was over."

"It's not over though," Inuyasha interrupted. "She's still here and this isn't her home."

"She doesn't have to be at home for her journey to be over," Kagome said with a frown. "The journey was to find a husband and if she's writing home, it means she's made her decision about who she will marry."

The two brothers stared at the woman before them in surprise. They had not been expecting to hear that. The frown on Kagome's face indicated that she was not pleased with this new development and the pair could only wonder why. After a moment of silence, Kagome shrugged her shoulders and stepped around the two brothers.

"I must get these to Rin," she said with a vague smile. "I'll try to find out more and I'll tell you if I find out anything of interest."

As Kagome wandered down the corridor, Inuyasha turned to look at his brother with a frown and an unusually serious expression. Crossing his arms, he leaned back against a nearby wall as he thought over what he had heard. Sesshoumaru simply watched Kagome leave with an unreadable look on his face. The meeting they had had earlier had not really been polite, but surely it wasn't enough for her to simply decide her future just like that? Sesshoumaru frowned. Did that mean that there was only one other man she had left to meet or that she had chosen from one of the other princes she had met? For a reason he couldn't understand, her sudden decision bothered him.

"What will you do, Sesh?" Inuyasha asked suddenly as they started walking again.

"It has nothing to do with me," Sesshoumaru replied with a shrug.

"I take it that father did not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"This was your last chance to choose your own wife. They've always wanted one of us to marry Seiji's daughter and now that neither of us will, I think he's going to be really hard on you."

"You haven't got a wife either, Inuyasha."

"I know I don't, but I at least have a relationship and that counts as something," Inuyasha countered with a shrug.

"And how will this relationship fare when Kagome returns home with Rin?"

"We'll manage somehow, but that's not the issue here. Chances are that you are going to be married off to some older duchess or some other lady of high standing. Do you really want to have a wife who's older than you?"

"No, I suppose not, but it makes no difference now."

*-*-*-*-*

Later that day, Kagome sat outside in the gardens with the two brothers after spending most of the afternoon with Rin. She sighed softly as she looked up at the clouds that floated past and wished life was simple. Her gaze turned to Inuyasha when he made a sound of impatience.

"Well? What happened?" he demanded while his brother remained silent, stubbornly refusing to admit his curiosity.

"I was right," Kagome said quietly. "Rin has made her choice."

"She chose Sesh, right?"

"No, she didn't. I don't know his name, but it looks very likely that she's going to choose the last man on the list."

"Who is he?"

"I don't know. She simply requested permission to go his home at once to discuss the matter at hand. The letter's already been sent so I don't know what's going to happen now."

"Sesh, you're an idiot!" Inuyasha declared as he turned to his brother.

"Why are you so eager to see me married off to a woman I don't know?" Sesshoumaru demanded in an impatient tone.

"She's by far the prettiest of all the woman our parents liked and she's nice!"

"If that's the case, why don't you marry her then?"

"She already rejected me, remember? Besides, I'm with Kagome. Even if you two don't get on well, it would be beneficial for us all if you two would marry."

"I suppose in a way, Inuyasha is right," Kagome said with a sigh. "It would unite two powerful kingdoms. If you married despite not really enjoying each other's company, it wouldn't matter too much. The castle or palace, whichever you chose to be your home, would be your own and you could do as you pleased. You need not share your chambers and your interaction could be limited to situations where it is imperative that you appear as a couple."

"A marriage of convenience?!" Sesshoumaru demanded, frowning ferociously at Kagome.

"Essentially. However, I think you have missed your chance so you need not worry too much about it."

"You've also lost your chance at choosing your wife, Sesh," Inuyasha added with a sigh.

"I think that is why Rin has made this choice," Kagome said quietly. "If she didn't choose a man from the list, her parents would make the choice for her and marry her off to someone who wasn't necessarily on that list. It's not really making your own decision though if you're only choosing the last man on the list though."

"It is making my own decision," a soft voice interrupted.

The trio turned to see Rin standing on a balcony just above them. Kagome frowned and then gaped in surprise and horror as she realised their conversation had taken place so close to Rin's rooms. If she had been sitting on the balcony the whole time, she would have overheard the entire conversation. She looked guiltily up at her friend, knowing that she should not have been gossiping like that. Rin merely smiled slightly and leaned against the railings as she looked down on the stunned trio.

"I could just go home and say I didn't like any of them," she explained when she saw their confused expressions. "That is a decision as well, but I do not fancy the idea of being married off to a fat old man. I may not know much about this last man, but chances are that he's not too much older than me. I requested to meet with him because I want to know him. I am not so stupid that I would agree to marry a man without meeting him. There is still the possibility that I will be returning home and telling my parents that I didn't choose anyone."

"What did my brother say to you?" Inuyasha demanded.

"More or less exactly what you said," Rin said with a smile.

"More or less?"

"Indeed. Not in as many words, but the point was easily understood."

"So you won't marry him?" Inuyasha looked crestfallen.

"No," Rin replied as she stood up and smoothed her dress down. "I will not marry a man who will not willingly marry me. It is a life changing decision that cannot be made by only one person."

"You won't change your mind?"

"My time has run out, Inuyasha," she said with a sigh. "If I still had enough time, I would wait to see if he changed his mind, but I can't. It is not surprising that your brother is so opposed to being married off like this. Were you not upset about it as well?"

"Of course I was! But you're the nicest of all the women we've seen so far! You would be ideal to be his wife!"

Rin watched in mild amusement and a tiny smile tugging her lips as Sesshoumaru landed a blow on his brother's head. The brothers were amusing, there was no questioning that, but she could not marry either of them just for that reason. If she was going to marry Sesshoumaru, he must be willing to marry her and not forced into it. It mattered little to her if she did not get the happy ending Kagome had always told her she would have as long as the man who became her husband was not unhappy. Two unhappy people could not make a marriage work and a royal marriage needed to work.

"I'm flattered you think so, Inuyasha," Rin said with a smile. "If he changes his mind about this before I'm married then he should seek me out, but at the moment, I am not willing to make another person unhappy just so I can prove to my parents that I can make decisions on my own."

Leaving the trio below to stare, she turned around and disappeared indoors. She knew that she could probably have said it better, but she supposed the idea was put across. Now all that remained was for her to meet the last prince and see if he was the one she would marry. She didn't want to go home and have her husband decided by her parents, but if she had no choice then she would simply have to trust her parents' judgement. With any luck, the last prince would be the ideal man.


	8. Chapter 8

"_**A kiss without a hug is like a flower without the fragrance."**_

… **Proverb …**

**VIII****: ****The New Arrival**

Nothing more of Rin's decision had been said after she had spoken to them from her balcony. Kagome had feared her friend would be upset with her for gossiping with the two brothers, but was relieved when Rin had simply waved it away with a smile saying that it didn't matter. The two brothers kept the matter between the four of them, deciding that it would probably be best to let Rin tell their parents of this development. Inutaisho and Izayoi didn't suspect a thing and were still under the impression that Rin and Sesshoumaru were getting along like a house on fire. A couple of days after the incident, Rin had received a letter in reply from the last prince and he had been very open about how much he wanted to meet her and how welcome she would be in his home. With this in mind, Rin had decided that it was time to leave the palace and the two brothers behind, although she had told Kagome in no uncertain terms that she was to stay with Inuyasha. After realising that Rin would not change her mind, her friend agreed and discovered that Inuyasha was overjoyed to hear of this plan.

Everything came to a halt a few days after Rin had sent a letter to the prince informing him that she would leave the palace in the next few days to make her way to his own home. She had been making her way to the throne room to tell Inutaisho and Izayoi about her plans when a servant had rushed past her into the very room she was heading towards, shouting something about a visitor. The very people Rin had been looking for appeared in front of her moments later with smiles when they saw her.

"What are you doing here, Rin?" Inutaisho asked as they stopped beside her.

"I was coming to talk to you about something," she admitted.  
"Can it wait until we have greeted our surprise guest?"

"Of course."

"Let us go and see who has graced us with their presence!"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were already heading towards the courtyard with Kagome in tow and turned in surprise when they saw Rin approaching with the King and Queen. Shrugging it off, the group walked towards the courtyard where a black coach had rolled to a stop and a man had jumped down to open the door for his master. A tall dark haired man stepped out of the carriage and looked around him curiously as he took in his surroundings before his red gaze fell on the small group on the steps. A grin spread across his face as he saw them and walked towards them, bowing when he stopped.

"I beg your pardon for arriving without any warning, my Lord," he said formally as he stood up to look at Inutaisho.

"It is no trouble," Inutaisho replied, slightly stunned by the man. "May I ask who you are?"

"I am Naraku, my Lord," he said with a vague smile. "I am the ruler of the lands on your eastern borders."

"Indeed?" the King replied, frowning as he tried to remember if he had ever met that ruler. "And what is your purpose here?"

"I am here to fetch Lady Rin," Naraku declared much to everyone's amazement.

All eyes turned from the tall man and his wide grin to Rin who stood on the steps and stared at the man in amazement. Naraku's red eyes fell on her and his grin seemed to grow even more. In a blink of an eye, he was kneeling in front of her on the steps and had taken her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed it gently before rising to his feet to look her in the eye.

"Ah! You are more beautiful than I imagined!" he exclaimed. "Surely a man such as me must be blessed to have been asked to meet with such a beauty?"

Rin blushed prettily and tried in vain to get her hand from his grasp. Everyone's eyes were still on her and she was very aware that she needed to explain the situation. A soft sigh came from her left and she looked up to see Inutaisho shaking his head slightly.

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation indoors?" he suggested.

"Certainly, my Lord!" Naraku agreed instantly.

A short while later, everyone was sitting in the living room that Rin had sat in with this family many times before. She was quite surprised to find herself sitting between Kagome and Inuyasha while the King and Queen sat nearby. Sesshoumaru sat in his usual seat far away from everyone, but it was obvious that he was regarding this new arrival with suspicion. Naraku grinned when his gaze fell on Rin and she quickly looked away, not wanting to be complimented so boldly again.

"What's going on here?" Inutaisho asked with a frown. "Rin has not finished her stay here."

"Actually," Rin interrupted. "That was what I was coming to talk to you about when I met you. I was planning to leave here in two day's time to travel to Lord Naraku's home."

"Oh, I see!" Inutaisho said, nodding his understanding. "However, since you are here, why do you not stay here, Lord Naraku? One palace is as good as another when you are meeting a princess, is that not so?"

"Very true, my Lord," Naraku agreed. "I would be honoured to stay here."

"How long were you planning to stay with this gentleman, Rin?" Izayoi asked suddenly.

"Only a couple of days," Rin replied. "I believe it's time I returned home and informed my parents of my decision."

"You've decided?" Inutaisho asked in surprise.

"More or less. I needed to meet Lord Naraku first before I could be satisfied with my choice. In two days time, I will leave here and return home."

"What of Kagome?" Izayoi asked, sending a worried glance in Inuyasha's direction.

"Kagome will remain here if she wishes to. I will explain the situation when I return home."

"You'll travel home alone? Won't it be lonely?" Izayoi asked in surprise.

"It doesn't matter," Rin replied with a smile. "Kagome's happiness is paramount to my loneliness."

*-*-*-*-*

Therefore, it was agreed that Naraku would stay at the palace instead of taking her to his home. The rest of that day had been spent in his company while Inuyasha, Kagome and a reluctant Sesshoumaru watched on from a distance. Although he had protested initially, Sesshoumaru found that he was actually curious to see how this relationship would develop when Rin had decided that this was the man she would marry if she liked him. The pair had disappeared into the gardens and sat in the sun as they spoke quietly to each other. It had irked Sesshoumaru that he could not hear what was being said, but realised that he probably didn't want to hear any of it. Naraku had an annoying habit of being quite vocal about what he liked and it was obvious that he had taken quite a liking to Rin.

"Tell me, Lady Rin," Naraku said as he lay back on the grass, enjoying the sun. "What do you think of your parents' idea of having you choose your husband? It's quite out of the ordinary, don't you think?"

"I suppose it is," Rin said with a smile. "My parents know that I like to make my own decisions although they do not trust that I make the right ones."

"Do you think we will marry?"

"It's possible," she replied. "Your first impression is certainly favourable."

"Ah but I have not even begun my quest to win your heart! The gods must be favouring me today!"

The trio who were watching the unsuspecting pair stared in amazement when Rin threw back her head and laughed merrily at whatever Naraku had said to her. It occurred to Sesshoumaru that he had never heard her laugh and had only seem vague smiles, but this man who had suddenly appeared from nowhere had made her laugh after being in her company only a couple of hours. Kagome shook her head and sighed.

"He's certainly winning her over," she said quietly as she watched Rin laugh again. "Perhaps she'll make the right choice in the end?"

"No, she won't," Inuyasha said stubbornly. "The right man is sitting next to me and not next to her. That's not how it should be."

*-*-*-*-*

That evening, a large and extravagant meal had been prepared in honour of a royal guest. Inutaisho had decided that he did not like the man that much but still attempted to be a gracious host. He had taken an instant liking to Rin and knew that she would be an idea wife for his eldest son. Naraku's sudden arrival had thrown a spanner in the works and now Inutaisho knew he was going to take steps to make sure that his son was the man who came out on top in this battle. He had arranged there to be dancing after the meal and watched as Rin danced with Naraku, giggling at his words. Sesshoumaru looked on silently, not giving any indication that he cared about what was going on around him, but his father knew better.

"You are an excellent dancer, Lady Rin!" Naraku exclaimed as they danced.

"You praise me too much, my Lord," she said with a blush.

In response, Naraku tightened his arms around her and grinned as he begun the waltz. Rin sighed to herself and thought over her situation. She had always wanted to be held tight in a man's arms, but now that she was in that very situation, it was not as exciting as she had originally thought. Glancing up at Naraku, she saw his grin and smile feebly in return before returning to her thoughts. He was a nice enough man, but he was a bit extravagant in every sense of the word. His clothes of the highest quality, his speech was perfect and there seemed to be nothing wrong with him.

Rin had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realised that she had stopped dancing until she felt another presence beside her. Glancing up in surprise, she was surprised to find Sesshoumaru standing beside them, his face as expressionless as always and his eyes hard as he looked at the pair. His amber eyes met hers briefly before he looked at Naraku.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" he asked, his tone casual but carrying a hint of ice beneath.

"Not at all!" Naraku replied, his grin being replaced by a knowing smirk before he leaned down to peck Rin's cheek. "Perhaps we'll dance later."

Rooted to the spot, Rin could only stare at the man's retreating back as he wondered over to where the King and Queen were seated. Surely it wasn't appropriate for him to kiss her so casually even if it was a peck on the cheek? She glanced up at Sesshoumaru who merely shrugged and slipped an arm around her waist before they began dancing. Rin had never been this close to Sesshoumaru before and her heart started hammering in her chest as they moved. A slight frown creased her forehead when she realised that what had not felt right when Naraku had held her felt right when this man held her. It baffled her. The arms that were wrapped around her were strong and made her feel as though nothing could touch her as long as she was in his embrace. Why was this happening? It made no sense to her and she resisted the urge to sigh in irritation.

While Rin was struggling to understand her raging emotions and confusing thoughts, Sesshoumaru was looking down at her thoughtfully. He had seen her frown and the look of irritation that had briefly crossed her face before disappearing as quickly as it came. He hadn't ever been this close to her and had never really taken the time to look at her carefully. From where he stood now, he realised that although she was just as short as he had predicted, it wasn't a bad thing. She fit snugly into his arms and what amazed him the most was that he enjoyed the feeling. Her hands were soft, delicate, and very small in his own hands. Her eyes were expressive and Sesshoumaru realised that she was actually quite a beauty. He had wanted to scoff when he heard Naraku announcing her beauty earlier that day, but now he realised that the man had not been lying. His father who had complained about Naraku monopolizing her attention had pushed him into the idea of dancing with her and now he was quite glad his father had done so.

Sighing to himself, he wondered what it would be like to be the centre of her attention like Naraku had been. What would it be like to be the cause of her smiles and laughter and on the receiving end of her affection? Suddenly, the idea of marrying her didn't seem so bad, but he mentally cursed himself for so rudely rejecting her before she had mentioned anything about it and he also cursed Naraku for having arrived and for probably being the man she would marry. Although, Sesshoumaru realised that in a way he had to thank Naraku for arriving for if he had not, Sesshoumaru would not have arrived at the conclusions that he had just a short while before. He cast his memory back and remembered her saying that he should seek her out if he changes her mind before she married and wondered if maybe he should inform her of his change of heart. He hesitated as he looked down at her and tried to form the words to tell her what he had been thinking about, but nothing happened. Sesshoumaru did not want to admit that he had been wrong in a room full of so many people and he most certainly didn't want to do it while trying to be heard over the music.

A sudden fear gripped him as a thought occurred to him. What if she rejected him just as she had done his brother and all the other princes before? Was it worth admitting he was wrong just for her to reject him anyway? Didn't she say she had already made her choice? No, it was not worth it. His pride stopped him from admitting that he actually quite liked her and he had too much dignity to say such a thing only for her him be turned away like everyone else. It would be better to remain silent.

*-*-*-*-*

**AN:** I thought I should clarify this before anyone commented on it :P I am aware that Naraku is very out of character in this chapter and I did that intentionally. I am not going to keep him this way, so I haven't changed his character completely. Just bear with me :) There's still three chapters to go so I promise something interesting will happen.

I'm going to be a bit busy over the next few days so I may not be able to update this. Like I said, there's only three chapters left although I may add another if I decide to extend one of the three I already planned. I'm not entirely sure how I'll do it, but I will finish this story next week :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter and I haven't bent the characters too much out of shape :P Thank you so much for all the reviews you've given this story! It's greatly appreciated and I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story so far! :)

xMxAx


	9. Chapter 9

"_**Happiness is like a kiss – **_

_**It feels best when you give it to someone else."**_

… **Anon … **

**IX****: ****The Choice**

Since his realisation about his feelings for the petite dark haired woman who had suddenly appeared in his life, Sesshoumaru found himself to be very aware of her presence. His parents had decided that it was in Rin's best interests if she remained at their palace as opposed to travelling alone to Naraku's home. Rin had not objected and surprisingly, neither had Naraku. Sesshoumaru could only sigh irritably to himself as he watched the man trail after Rin like a lovesick puppy as he tried very hard to win her affections. In his opinion, Naraku did not deserve her affections and it was quite obvious to him that Rin had no intention of giving the man the attention he desired. Sesshoumaru had started to pay close attention to the young woman and had learnt to read her facial expressions quite well. The petite woman seemed to be preoccupied with something since that evening when they had danced together and Sesshoumaru dearly wanted to know what it was, although he did have some suspicions as to what it was.

The quiet days spent watching Rin and subtly learning more about her with each passing day came to an abrupt end when her parents suddenly appeared at the palace one afternoon. Sesshoumaru could only stare at the pair in amazement. He had not been at the palace the last time the pair had visited and therefore couldn't remember what they looked like, but now that he finally knew, it was completely the opposite to what he had been expecting. As Rin was short and dark haired, he had imagined both her parents to be the same, but it was not so. Seiji was a tall muscular man with long dark hair that hung in a neat braid down his back and his outgoing and friendly personality could easily rival that of Sesshoumaru's own father. The King was nothing out of the ordinary and it was obvious that that was where Rin's own dark hair came from, however the queen baffled him. Tsukiko was definitely a beauty and it was obvious that most of the other men in the palace thought the same way. She was diminutive in comparison to her husband and her timid personality gave her an aura of fragility, although Sesshoumaru doubted that she was that fragile. Her long hair was a deep red that shone brightly in the sun and streaks of an even darker red that was almost purple could be seen in some lights.

Sesshoumaru watched the couple smile happily as they saw their daughter and he had to admit that it was a touching scene as he watched the reunited family interact. It was obvious that they were all very close. He bowed formally when he was introduced to Rin's father but found himself clapped good-naturedly on the back by the older man who grinned cheerfully at him. It was then that Sesshoumaru realised that he had made a grave error in refusing Rin's hand in marriage. Now that he had met her parents, he realised that he would have been welcomed into the family with open arms and been considered one of their own. There were not many people willing to do such a thing and he had just turned away the opportunity to be part of such a family.

"It's a surprise for you to come back here after you left so recently," Inutaisho said with a grin as he clapped his friend on the back.

"Ah, Tsukiko was rather worried about our little one, you see," Seiji said with an answering grin. "I tried to reassure her that she would be fine since she was probably here, but she wasn't having any of it."

"Rin's not little anymore, dear," Tsukiko said calmly as she wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter.

"She's still my little girl until she gets married," Seiji said fiercely much to everyone's amusement. "Speaking of marriage, we must discuss the recent events."

The group wandered into a nearby seating area and Rin sat quietly beside her mother, knowing that she was about to be bombarded with questions. Sesshoumaru sat in the corner of the room as normal and watched everything with interest. Rin's parents were truly nothing like he had expected.

"So," Seiji said with a smile as he regarded his daughter. "We sent you out…"

"Correction," Tsukiko interrupted with a slight frown. "You sent her out. I told you from the beginning it was a bad idea."

Sighing in exasperation at the argument that had become commonplace since Rin's departure, Seiji shook his head. "Alright. I sent you out with a list and potential husbands to meet. Have you decided?"

"More or less," Rin replied with a shrug.

"It's not that Kouga person, is it?"

"No, father. It's not Kouga," she said with a vague smile.

"Oh good! That's all right then! Who is it?"

"I haven't told him yet, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. I choose Naraku."

An oppressive silence fell over the room in the wake of Rin's announcement. To Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Kagome, this news didn't come as any surprise since they already knew this from the last time they had spoken to Rin about it, but it still didn't please any of them. Inuyasha glowered at Naraku while Sesshoumaru sat quietly beside his brother with something akin to disappointment welling up within him. Truthfully, he knew that this would have happened regardless of what Rin had said. He had been rude to her and refused her without even thinking the matter over carefully as he was sure all the others had done. Then, when he finally realised his mistake, his pride and dignity refused to allow him to admit that he had been wrong. Thus, Rin was now going to marry another man and he would be left alone until his parents married him off to some awful woman. He still didn't like the idea of marriage, but he supposed that being married to Rin wouldn't be so bad. It was obvious that she came from a good family and she could easily match him intellectually which would definitely make life easier. Sesshoumaru knew that she didn't want to marry either, but if he had not been so rude and had come to his realisation earlier, they could have made a compromise that would suit both their families.

"I must admit that that is a surprise," Seiji said after a moment of silence as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Are you sure this is what you want, dear?" Izayoi asked, looking at Rin seriously, concern evident in her expressive eyes.

"Truly?" Rin paused and seemed to consider her words carefully. "No, it's not what I want. Marriage is what my parents want me to do, so I must make the best of my situation."

Seiji sighed and glanced over at Inutaisho's sons. "I was sure it would be one of you two. What went wrong?"

"Sesshoumaru's an idiot, that is what's wrong," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, but he knew Seiji heard him when he saw a small smile appear on the older man's face.

"Well, we sent you out to choose your own husband and it seems you've done just that. There is nothing that can be done unless you change your mind. I can only hope you will treat my daughter well, Naraku."

"Most certainly!" Naraku exclaimed with a grin. "I am most honoured to be chosen."

"I suppose I might as well get the technicalities out of the way now," Seiji murmured to himself as he sat upright and looked seriously at Naraku. "You may already know this, but I must tell you anyway. When you marry my daughter, you will of course inherit my kingdom when I pass away or decide that you are a better ruler than myself. This is a great responsibility, I hope you will be able to cop with it."

As Seiji continued to describe what was expected of Naraku if he were to marry Rin, Sesshoumaru got the distinct impression that the older man was trying to intimidate that younger one. He smirked to himself as he realised that her father did not approve of her chosen husband, but he had to admit that he wouldn't either if he were her father. It was obvious to anyone that Naraku was far too good to be true. The conversation continued on for a while longer and Sesshoumaru wondered if he would receive the same treatment if he were the one Rin had chosen.

*-*-*-*-*

The day after their sudden arrival, Seiji was wandering through the gardens, deep in thought, when he stumbled upon the unkempt area of the garden where Sesshoumaru had taken Rin the day he rejected her. Much to his surprise, he found Sesshoumaru himself sitting beneath one of the trees, staring up into the clear blue sky with a thoughtful expression. Smiling to himself, Seiji approached the younger man slowly. He had always gotten on well with Sesshoumaru and found him pleasant company despite the fact that he didn't speak much.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Seiji questioned with a smile as he sat down beneath the same tree and looked at the younger man.

"I apologise, I didn't hear you approach," Sesshoumaru replied, ignoring the question as he sat up straight.

"Relax. I'm honestly tired of all the formalities. It puts far too much strain on an old man."

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "You're hardly old. I don't see any gray hair."

Seiji laughed. "You flatter me. If the formalities don't give me gray hair, I'm sure my daughter will."

The pair sat in silence for a while as the each lost themselves in their thoughts. The only sound was the wind in the trees and the birds singing sweetly as they soared through the heavens. Eventually, Sesshoumaru turned to look at the older man and saw a look of concern on his face. He wondered if he should try and discuss the cause of his concern, but decided that it would probably be better to wait until the man was ready to talk.

"You know," Seiji started. "I was hoping she would choose either you or your brother."

"My parents think the same," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "Inuyasha, however, is quite taken with Kagome."

Seiji's eyebrows rose and he smiled. "Is that so? Well, at least one of those two girls will marry a decent man."

"You don't approve of Lady Rin's choice?"

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me. I knew it was a mistake to have Naraku's name on that list, but it would not have been appropriate to leave it out when all the other eligible princes were on that list. I suppose a part of me hoped that she would see through his act, but apparently I was wrong."

"I think she probably can see through his act," Sesshoumaru reassured the older man. "Perhaps she simply wanted to make the choice for herself even if she didn't particularly like the man in question?"

"She could have chosen you," Seiji muttered, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the tree. "Why didn't she choose you?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I foolishly rejected her before thinking the situation over."

"Foolishly? Does that mean you've thought over the situation and have changed your mind?"

"I suppose you could say that. It's too late now though, she's already made her choice."

"Inuyasha was right," Seiji said with a laugh. "You are an idiot."

"Hm."

"Have you spoken to Rin about it?"

"What good would it do? It would simply throw her into turmoil and cause unnecessary trouble for her. Besides, how do I know she won't reject me as I rejected her?"

Seiji smiled. "You know little of Rin, but that's to be expected. She never does anything without thinking about it very carefully. I have not once seen her make a decision with her own needs as a priority. She cares a lot about the people around her even if she doesn't know them very well."

"That may be so, but would you not find it hard to forgive someone who rudely rejected you?" Sesshoumaru queried.

"Your brother told me about the conversation the three of you had with her a short while ago. I don't think she's entirely happy with her decision. You should talk to her about it, I'm sure she'll listen."

"What am I supposed to say after behaving like that?"

"Say what you think. Don't beat about the bush, Rin's liable to lose her patience with you if you do that. Be honest and you might be surprised with the outcome," Seiji advised as he got to his feet. "I would be much happier if she married you instead. At least I could then rest easy and know that she would be well looked after. I don't trust that Naraku character. Whatever you decide, remember that honesty is the best policy."

Sesshoumaru watched in silence as Rin's father left the little clearing and walked back towards the palace. He found it strange that he had been able to talk so easily with the man when he struggled to discuss such matters with his own father. Regardless of why he could discuss this matter with Seiji, Sesshoumaru knew that the man was right. Honesty was the best policy. He had to be honest with himself and with Rin. Even if Rin still chose Naraku after he spoke to her, he still needed her to know that he had changed his mind and that he was sorry for behaving the way he did.

Getting to his feet, Sesshoumaru looked around him and briefly thought back to the look of delight that had crossed Rin's face when she had come here with him. Perhaps if he brought her back here, she would be more inclined to listen to what he had to say. He was pretty sure that she would listen anyway, but he didn't want to admit such things in a building where the walls had ears. It would only be a matter of time before everyone in the palace knew everything he had said to Rin and that was something he wanted to avoid. Now certain of what he was going to do, Sesshoumaru followed Seiji's footsteps back to the palace and began planning what he would say to Rin.


	10. Chapter 10

"_**A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous."**_

… **Ingrid Bergman … **

**X****: ****Questionable Decisions**

Rin sighed softly to herself as she stared out the window of her bedroom. She dearly wanted to go outside but she knew the moment she stepped foot outside her bedroom, Naraku would be at her side in an instant. Truthfully, his company was beginning to get tiresome and she could only pray that he would not behave as he did when they were married. She would not be able to tolerate him wanting to be at her side every minute of the day and having to listen to his inane conversations was beginning to grate on her nerves. Her only sanctuary was her bedroom, but she hated having to stay indoors to avoid the man she had chosen to marry. This was definitely not how it was supposed to be. She should be wanting to spend more time with him and not try to avoid him.

Sighing again, she walked out onto her balcony and sat down heavily. Her thoughts drifted back to the evening when she had danced with Sesshoumaru and she couldn't help but smile slightly at the memory. She had been very surprised by his sudden desire to dance with her but she was glad that he had done. Despite his cold exterior, Rin realised that he was actually a gentle man and she remembered very clearly how she had felt very safe when she had danced with him. It annoyed her slightly that she was having such feelings for a man who didn't want anything to do with her as opposed to the man she would marry. It made no sense to her and that irked her all the more. She knew that discussing this matter with her mother would only bring about a lecture on 'the wonders of love' and talking to Kagome would probably result in having to listen to an hour or two's worth of stories about how perfect Inuyasha was. Rin didn't have anything against Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha and was really quite pleased for them, but constant tales about how he was a perfect man was beginning to get irritating. She supposed that at least she didn't have to listen to Inuyasha's side of the story as well. That would surely drive her past the point of insanity if she hadn't already passed that point by deciding to marry Naraku. Truly, her sanity was beginning to look questionable considering the choices she had made recently. How would she ever manage to maintain a happy marriage with Naraku when he was already annoying her? It didn't seem possible, but what was she to do? She had already said she had chosen him and unless someone else decided to marry her and she liked them better, she simply had to go along with her foolish decision.

The day was overcast and dark clouds hung low in the sky but even that threat of rain was not enough to keep Rin from wanting to go out into the lush gardens. She wanted to return to the part of the garden she had visited with Sesshoumaru. No one would find her there unless they were looking for her and even then, not many people would think that a princess would venture into such a place alone. She would be guaranteed solitude there. Sending a quick glance at her bedroom door, Rin wondered how far away she could get before Naraku caught up with her. She grimaced when she realised that she wouldn't get far at all. Walking up to the balcony railing, she rested her hands against the cool stone and looked down at the ground thoughtfully. It was too high for her to jump down and land safely so she was left with little choice but to leave through the door if she was going to go outside. Heaving a sigh of irritation, she leaned forward against the railing and closed her eyes.

"Lady Rin, what are you doing?" a masculine voice with traces of amusement asked.

Jumping slightly, Rin looked around her quickly. She frowned when she couldn't find the source of the voice and crossed her arms as she wondered if she had truly lost her mind at some point in her frustrated musings about how to get out of her room. The voice had been familiar, Sesshoumaru's she thought but quickly pushed that thought aside. What would he be doing visiting her? He didn't even like her and had made it painfully obvious that he wanted nothing to do with her. Still, she knew that voice was his but decided that she had simply imagined it.

"Lady Rin, are you alright?" the same voice queried.

A frown crossed her face as she turned around and tried to find the owner of the voice, now convinced that she was not imagining things. Walking closer to the railings, she put looked around the gardens and saw no one until she looked down at the ground almost directly below her balcony. Her eyes widened as she stared at the person standing below. It was quite obvious Sesshoumaru and he was obviously not a figment of her imagination since he was watching her with a bemused expression that bordered on concern. Relief washed over her when she realised that she hadn't lost her mind and a laugh escaped her lips as she sank down into a nearby seat.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said with a smile, looking down at the bewildered man. "I didn't see you down there and I thought I had lost my mind."

"I see," Sesshoumaru murmured, a vague smirk tugging his lips.

"Is there something you needed?"

"Actually there was."

"Oh?"

"There is something I need to discuss with you. Would you walk with me?"

Rin's eyebrows rose in surprise before she grimaced. "I would like to, but if I step out of the room, Naraku would surely be at my side in moments."

"I see." Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and then nodded. "Wait there."

Rin stared at the man in surprise as he disappeared in the direction of the doors and then shook her head at his strange behaviour. Perhaps she was imagining all this after all? Sesshoumaru wouldn't want to talk to her and he definitely wouldn't want her to walk anywhere with him. Maybe she had fallen asleep and this was a dream? It certainly didn't seem real. Shrugging slightly, she flipped her braid over her shoulder and walked back into her bedroom to sit on the edge of her bed. There was no questioning it, she had lost her mind. Perhaps this would be a good excuse to get out of marriage? No man would want to marry a woman who had lost her mind. Suppressing a laugh, Rin lay back on the bed and knew that even though she might wish it, she couldn't get out of marriage now. The only way to avoid it now was if she died and she had no intention of killing herself just to get out of marriage. That would be simply stupid.

A knock at her door brought her from her musing and slowly, she got to her feet. Sighing softly, she smoothed her dress down and prepared to face Naraku. He was the only person aside from Kagome who visited her rooms and since Kagome was out with Inuyasha today, it had to be Naraku. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves and fixing a false smile to her face, she reached out for the doorknob and paused briefly before pulling it open. Her smile fell from her face and was replaced by a look of complete surprise when she found Sesshoumaru standing on the other side of the door instead of Naraku. He tilted his head to one side lightly as he looked at her and waited for her to recover from her shock. Eventually, Rin recovered enough to speak and gesture him to come into her room despite knowing that it was not appropriate for her to be alone with him, in a bedroom no less.

"Naraku is currently speaking with both my father and yours," Sesshoumaru said brusquely. "He will be preoccupied for at least another half an hour if not longer."

"What does this have to do with me?" Rin asked, eyeing the tall man suspiciously.

"It means that you can walk with me if we leave now."

"How do I get out though? A servant will see me and tell Naraku!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head and held out a piece of dark fabric. "Wear this cloak to hide your appearance until we are out of sight."

Doubtful that this seemingly simply plan would work, Rin took the pro-offered cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. Briefly, she marvelled at how long it was and was instantly aware that it would drag on the ground and looked up to bring this to Sesshoumaru's attention, but decided not to when she saw his intense gaze trained on her. She nodded when she was ready and followed him out of her rooms towards the nearest doors. Fortunately, they met no servants on their way to the nearest exit and Rin was left to wonder why Sesshoumaru wanted to talk to her so desperately. Struggling to keep up with his long strides, she ran to catch up with him when they reached the gardens and was relieved when he slowed his pace down. He walked silently towards the very back of the garden where she knew the unkempt area she had been to before was located. Smiling to herself, she wondered if one of the gods had taken note of her desire to go to that place and sent Sesshoumaru as her guide. A laugh threatened to escape her lips at the thought and she quickly suppressed it.

Sesshoumaru relaxed slightly when they entered the clearing they had sat in before and he allowed a long breath he hadn't realised he had been holding to escape as he watched Rin sit down in the sun as she had done before. He had to admit that he rather liked the idea of her being garbed in his own cloak and was pleased when she had not rejected the idea. It had been a gamble and he knew that any servant could easily have told Naraku about Rin sneaking out with him, but he needed to talk to her and he would not let Naraku get in his way.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Rin asked suddenly, looking at him curiously.

"Ah…" Sesshoumaru stared at her, suddenly unsure what to say.

"It must've been important if you brought me here."

"I wanted to apologise for what I said when we were last here."

Rin raised her eyebrows. "You don't need to apologise. I know it's not nice to be forced into a marriage and I wouldn't want to force anyone to marry me."

"I hope you'll forgive me for what I'm about to say. I know it might cause trouble, but I think it needs to be said," Sesshoumaru said quietly, sitting down beneath a tree and looking at Rin seriously.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, frowning in concern.

"No. It's just that after saying what I did, I realised that marrying you would not be so bad. Unfortunately, I only realised this after Naraku's arrival. As I said, this might cause you trouble and I apologise if it does."

"When did this revelation occur?" Rin asked with a vague smile.

"That night we danced together."

Rin stared at him in surprise. He had felt something that night as well? It wasn't only her who had felt the way she did? Hope rushed through her before she quelled it. Just because he said he had changed his mind about the idea of marrying her, it didn't mean that he suddenly started caring for her. Closing her eyes briefly, she smiled at him when she opened them and wondered what she was supposed to say to him.

"I didn't say anything because I thought that you would reject me and I wouldn't be surprised if you did after what I said to you," Sesshoumaru continued, watching her reactions carefully.

"Why are you telling me this now then?" Rin asked curiously.

"I had a conversation with your father. He said that I should simply be honest with both myself and you. Even if it didn't work out in my favour, he said I should tell you."

"Hm, it seems that my father does come out with some useful advice from time to time then," she said with a giggle. "But he was right. I'm glad you told me."

"I hope this won't disrupt your plans."

"It won't," Rin promised. "It'll give me the time I need to rethink my decision. I don't really want to marry Naraku, but he's probably better than any man my parents would choose for me. However, it seems that you have given me food for thought."

"Food for thought?" Sesshoumaru queried, looking baffled.

"Indeed. I now have two potential husbands, is that not so?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as Sesshoumaru stared at her. He had not been expecting her to say such a thing. He had been expecting her to tell him that she had already made her choice and she wouldn't change her mind. This sudden turn of events had given him a little bit of hope. It was true that he didn't love her, but he knew that she would be a good wife. He didn't think he cared about her now, but that may change in future if they did marry. Rin was a pleasant woman whose company he enjoyed and that was as good a start as any when it came to a marriage. What point would there be in marrying a person he couldn't stand to be around? Maybe he would allow himself to hope that he had done the right thing by taking Seiji's advice and talking to Rin about this. Marrying Rin was certainly better than marrying a woman his parents chose.

*-*-*-*-*

Everyone gathered in the seating area after dinner and talked amongst themselves for a while before Rin cleared her throat and smiled cheerfully at everyone. Kagome narrowed her eyes at her friend. Rin had not been very happy lately, but that smile meant that something had changed. With everyone's attention on her, Rin's smile grew as she saw Kagome's suspicious look.

"I thought it would be best to tell everyone this at once since I don't really want to have to explain it several times over," Rin said with a smile.

"What is it, dear?" Tsukiko asked curiously from where she sat beside her husband.

"I am going to rethink my decision."

"Rethink it?" Inuyasha demanded excitedly, shooting a glance at his brother who sat quietly in the corner of the room as normal.

"Indeed. It seems that someone I had not considered has made an appearance and I think it only fair to give him a chance as well."

While Rin was bombarded with questions, Seiji looked over at Sesshoumaru with a vague smile and grinned when the younger man caught his gaze and nodded subtly. So it was Sesshoumaru after all. Barely able to suppress his glee, Seiji had to try very hard not to jump for joy now that that little situation had been resolved. Despite the joy over the news, Naraku frowned as he listened to the questions and he glowered at Sesshoumaru when he realised that it was him who had caused Rin to rethink his decision. Sighing to himself, he excused himself and decided to plan what he would do next. He could not afford to lose to Sesshoumaru. There was too much at stake, too much to lose. What he did next had to prove to Rin that he was the best choice, but he didn't think he could keep up the act much longer. It was sickening having to behave this way jut to get the woman to marry him.

The next day, Rin had been making her way to the gardens where she had arranged to meet Sesshoumaru. They had decided to spend the day together as they had intended to that very first time so long ago. She hummed happily to herself as she walked hastily down the corridors, pleased that her life seemed to be taking a turn for the better. She knew Sesshoumaru didn't love her and she couldn't honestly say that she loved him either. She cared for him, that much she knew, but she could only hope that he felt the same way about her. If he didn't care for her now, maybe some day he would. With that thought in mind, she quickened her steps and just as the door was in sight, she felt herself brought to a halt by a hand on her elbow. Before she could turn to look at the hand's owner, she was pulled out of the passage and into a dark room. The ominous sound of the door being locked behind her sent a shiver of fear running down her spine while the fact that she was trapped in a dark room with someone absolutely terrified her.

"Well, well," a cold voice drawled in the darkness. "So eager to meet the handsome prince, are we not?"

It was not a voice that she recognised and she wracked her brain for some indication of where she might know it from. When she drew a blank, she began to panic. Thoughts of what this man could want with her raced through her mind quickly and each made her blood run cold until she tried in vain to chase them from her mind. All thought left her mind and she felt as though her body was paralysed with fear when she felt a cold hand touch her arm before drifting up to her shoulder. Her mouth refused to work even though she opened her mouth to try and let lose a scream to draw some attention. Another hand covered her mouth before she could get any sound out and her eyes grew wide as she found herself looking into cold red eyes.

"I don't believe you really want to let loose that scream," the voice said as though she were a child. "This is something we must discuss alone; it wouldn't do to have any spectators."

The man took a deep breath and stepped closer to Rin until she could feel his breath against her face. His body was close to her own and she wanted badly to escape. Her mind screamed warnings at her but her body couldn't respond leaving her at a loss. Closing her eyes briefly, Rin eventually managed to lift her hands and she pushed against the man's chest as hard as she could. He was taken by surprise and stumbled backwards several steps leaving Rin with enough space to make a rush for the door. Moments later, her body slammed into the door before she could open it and all she could feel was the throbbing of her head and the body pressed against her back which effectively pinned her to the door. Even if she hadn't managed to escape, she hoped that the loud thud had alerted someone to what was happening and someone would come to investigate. After several moments of silence, Rin's heart sunk when she realised that no one had heard the noise.

"Now look here," the man said sternly. "I don't want to marry a child like yourself, but what I have to gain from marrying you outweighs the negatives."

"Who are you?" Rin struggled to say as she felt the man's weight pressing the air from her lungs.

"I am Naraku," the man said with a low laugh that sent a shiver down her spine. "I'm wounded that you did not recognise your future husband!"

"You expect me to marry you after this?!" she hissed, anger creeping into her voice.

"Now, now," Naraku placated her teasingly. "There's no need to get angry. You will marry me."

"I won't!"

Naraku pushed himself off her and stepped into the lighter area of the dim room. Grinning at her, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small vial of clear liquid. Rin leaned against the door and stared at him in horror. Her hand fumbled with the doorknob but she couldn't open it. A cry of frustration left her lips and she turned to hammer her fists on the door as loudly as she could.

"You will marry me," Naraku repeated with a grin and held up the vial again. "Do you know what this is?"

"I don't care what it is!" Rin shouted at him as she paused her attempts to escape.

"I think you will. This small amount is potent enough to kill a man."

"You wouldn't kill me."

"No," he agreed. "I wouldn't kill you because I would gain nothing from that just yet. Wouldn't it be terrible if the handsome prince accidentally drank this? Would you be able to live with yourself knowing you caused his death? You would have killed the heir to the throne."

"This is blackmail!" Rin declared loudly, still praying someone might hear the commotion.

"You think that bothers me?" Naraku asked with a grin as he pocketed the vial and advanced on her. "I don't want to marry you. You have nothing to offer me."

"Why do you insist I marry you then?"

"Once I marry you, I will inherit your father's kingdom. Wouldn't it be terrible if he were to stumble and fall on the point of his sword?"

"You'd kill my father!"

"Of course I would. You don't honestly expect me to wait until the old man kicks the bucket on his own, do you? I intend to simply help him along on the way to the afterlife. With him out the way, I inherit the kingdom. You are simply a tool that I need to get to where I want to be. Once I have what I want, there will be no need for you and you can join your handsome prince and father in the afterlife."

Rin couldn't find the words to reply, but she suddenly heard footsteps on the other side of the door and decided to try once again to gain attention. While Naraku was gloating about how brilliant his plan was, she opened her mouth and screamed as loudly as she could. The red eyed man paused to look at her with a vague smirk.

"No one will hear you. No one will care if you disappear for a while," he paused and looked thoughtful. "Perhaps that's the answer. Maybe I don't even need to marry you."

A wicked grin crossed his face as he advanced on her. Sensing that whatever he had planned did not bode well for her, Rin shrank back against the door, wishing that someone would come to her aid. Her eyes widened as Naraku drew his sword as he drew closer to her. His grin grew as he saw fear in her eyes and he paused. Lifting the hefty sword, he placed the tip on the exposed skin of her neck and paused briefly before trailing the blade lowered, slicing open the fabric of her dress as he moved. Shrieking in surprise, Rin hastily held the dress closed before hissing in pain when she felt the sword leave a long cut on her arm because of her sudden movement. The sword remained in place just below her breasts and Naraku grinned even more when he saw blood stain the sleeve of her dress. Struck with an idea, he quickly swiped the sword down and left a shallow cut trailing down her stomach. Casting aside the sword, he stepped towards her and withdrew a dagger which he held to her throat.

"Red suits you, my dear," he murmured in her ear as she wriggled in attempt to escape him.

Without giving her the chance to reply, Naraku slipped an arm around her waist and unlocked the door, hauling it open and thrusting her out into the light. With the dagger still at her throat, Rin could do little and found herself dragged along beside the hateful man as he headed towards the seating area where everyone would be. No doubt Sesshoumaru would have gone there in search of her when she did not meet him at the appointed time and she could only hope that none of them got hurt. She winced from the pain of the cut down her stomach and on her arm, but still tried to hold her dress closed as she was roughly dragged along.

Naraku kicked the door to the seating area open and grinned at the shocked faces of everyone who sat inside. Just as he had predicted, everyone was there. Seiji's eyes widened as he recognised Rin and he leapt to his feet, drawing his sword in the process, when he saw blood staining her pale dress. Similarly, Inutaisho rose to stand beside his friend, his own sword drawn as he face the dark haired man who held Rin captive. In the corner of the room, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stared in confusion and amazement. Sesshoumaru had come to the seating area in search of Rin when she had not appeared, but this was not how he had been hoping to find her.


	11. Chapter 11

"_**Soul meets soul on lovers' lips."**_

… **Percy Bysshe Shelley … **

… **Prometheus Unbound … **

**XI****: ****Planning For the Future**

With everyone's gazes fixed on him as he stood in the doorway, Naraku grinned again and tightened his grip on Rin. He frowned when he realised that blood had seeped into his clothes and pressed the dagger against her throat until a droplet of blood trickled down her pale skin.

"Now that I have your attention," Naraku murmured. "I suggest you put down your weapons and listen very carefully."

"Let my daughter go," Seiji warned in a tone that promised pain if his order was not complied with.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Naraku said cheerfully. "You see, she's my hostage. She is the key to my success. Nothing will happen to her as long as you comply with my orders."

"I will take no orders from you," Inutaisho growled.

"This has nothing to do with you. Sit down and be quiet." Turning his gaze to Seiji, Naraku grinned again. "This is my proposal. In order for your darling daughter to live, you must give me your kingdom. I was going to marry the wench and then kill you, but that will take far too long and this way is much simpler. What will you do old man? Will you protect your country and see your only child die at my hands or will you protect her and give me your kingdom?"

Seiji frowned at Naraku. As King, he was duty bound to protect his kingdom and he was certain that Naraku would be the downfall of the country, but his parental instincts told him to save Rin. He could see that all the men in the room were willing to fight to save his daughter, but he wondered if they would make it to her in time before Naraku moved that dagger. Glancing down at Tsukiko, he saw her terrified gaze meet his and silently beg him to choose Rin. What a dilemma. Sighing to himself, Seiji threw his sword down on the floor with a loud clang and crossed his arms as he scowled at Naraku.

"Very well. You may have the kingdom if you don't hurt Rin. If you hurt her any more you will die by my hand," Seiji warned the red eyed man.

Naraku's grin widened even more at his victory and the gestured to Inutaisho. "Draw up a document that will make this legal. I will not release the girl until the document has been drawn and signed."

While Inutaisho set about drawing up the document, Seiji glanced over at Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru who met his gaze. Seeming to understand, Inuyasha slowly rose from his seat and crept across the room towards the oblivious Naraku. Sesshoumaru followed his brother but was careful to keep a suitable distance between them. As silently as he could, Inuyasha drew his sword and a dagger from his belt before pouncing on the unsuspecting man. Naraku shouted something unintelligible in surprise as he felt a dagger pressed against his throat and a sword against his side.

"Let Rin go," Inuyasha growled in the man's ear.

Still mumbling something unintelligible, Naraku obeyed and let his dagger fall to the floor and his arm fall from Rin's waist. All of her strength was lost as Rin was suddenly released and she was plummeting to the floor. Sesshoumaru was there to catch her and quickly pulled her away from Naraku. No one moved for a moment and Rin could only clutch her dress tighter as she prayed that nothing would happen. Seiji grinned suddenly and picked up his sword.

"It seems that the boot's on the other foot now, is it not so?" he asked cheerfully. "You will not have my kingdom and you will never harm my daughter again."

"Well done, boys," Inutaisho said with a relieved smile as he nodded at his sons.

"I have half the mind to cut off those hands that injured my daughter," Seiji said with a frown as he glared at Naraku. "But I think I will leave it to Inutaisho to decide your fate."

Izayoi and Tsukiko quickly rose to their feet and hurried over to where Rin lay huddled against Sesshoumaru's broad chest. Kagome ran to the door and pulled it open. Without a word, Sesshoumaru was on his feet with Rin in his arms and he was walking out the room following his mother and the other two women. There was no reason for Rin to stay in the room with Naraku any longer and her wounds needed to be attended to. The trio of women walked ahead of him and wisely kept their thoughts to themselves. Rin clutched Sesshoumaru's shoulders with shaking hands and buried her face in his shoulder. She had always thought herself to be a strong woman, but she couldn't hold back her tears and let them flow freely as she felt relief wash over her.

"Rin, you need to let go," Kagome said gently as she watched Rin cling to Sesshoumaru's shoulders as he placed her on her bed. "We need to tend to your wounds."

Rin said nothing and simply tightened her grip. Glancing over his shoulder at the trio of women, Sesshoumaru silently asked what he was supposed to do. Tsukiko smiled and went to fetch a basin of water and some bandages while Izayoi sat down beside her son and the quivering woman in his arms. Reaching out, she gently stroked Rin's hair.

"If you won't let go, will you at least loosen your grip?" Izayoi asked, traces of amusement in her voice. "I promise he won't go anywhere."

With great reluctance, Rin loosened her grip on Sesshoumaru and Izayoi smiled triumphantly. After telling Sesshoumaru to stay put, she somehow managed to pull back the sleeve of Rin's dress and tend to the long cut there. After it was bandaged, there was much manoeuvring as the women tried to look at the cut on her stomach without exposing too much of her flesh in the presence of Sesshoumaru. Diverting his gaze, he looked out the window as the women cleaned and bandaged that wound. He sighed in relief when it was all over but realised that he probably wouldn't be allowed to go since Rin still kept a vice like grip on his shirt.

"Get some rest, dear," Tsukiko advised as she kissed her daughter's cheek fondly.

Sesshoumaru watched the trio of women leave the room and wondered what he was supposed to do now. Just as he predicted, he couldn't go with them. Rin's face was hidden from view, but he knew it would be tear stained when he saw it. After what seemed like an eternity, Rin sat back slightly and loosened her grip a bit. Lifting a hand, she dried her eyes and sighed softly.

"Are you alright?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly, not sure what to say.

"Thank you," she said after a while, not answering his question. "I was so afraid."

She looked up at him and Sesshoumaru flinched inwardly when he saw tears fill her eyes again. Desperately trying to find a way to avoid being caught in an awkward situation, he looked around hastily for something to say or do. His gaze fell back on her and he saw the cut on her throat where Naraku had cut her for getting blood on his clothes. Frowning slightly, he reached for one of the damp clothes Kagome had left nearby and gently cleansed the cut. Rin winced slightly but said nothing as she submitted herself to his gentle attentions. When he was finished, Rin leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed again, content knowing that Sesshoumaru was nearby.

"What will they do with him?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Your father threatened to cut his hands off," Sesshoumaru murmured, smirking at the memory. "But he told my father to decide his punishment."

Rin giggled at what her father had said and snuggled closer to Sesshoumaru, much to his surprise. "He won't hurt me or anyone else?"

"No, he won't."

"He said he'd kill my father and you if I didn't do what he wanted," Rin admitted quietly, shuddering as she remembered his words.

"Why would he kill me?" Sesshoumaru asked in confusion.

"He knew that I would choose to marry you instead of him."

"Is that true?"

"What?"

"That you would marry me instead."

"Of course."

Looking down at the woman in his arms, Sesshoumaru felt a rush of protectiveness. He didn't think he had ever cared about another person other than his family, but it struck him that he cared for this petite woman. It would probably grow in time, but he knew that he cared for her just a bit. When Naraku had come into the seating area with a dagger to her throat, he had felt his heart plummet and unexplainable anger rise within him. In that moment, he had wanted to rip the man's head off for daring to put his hands on her, but he contented himself with knowing she was safe and in his arms. Even now that he knew she was safe and Naraku would not touch her ever again, Sesshoumaru was loath to let her go. He was thrilled to know that she felt so safe with him and that made him even more reluctant to let her go. The thought of harm coming to her when he was not with her made his blood boil, but he knew that he could not dwell on such thoughts.

"You should change," Sesshoumaru said quietly after a while and sat back. "Your father probably wants to see you."

Rin nodded but raised frightened eyes to look at him when he stood up. "You'll wait for me?"

"Of course."

*-*-*-*-*

Rin walked into the seating area an hour later with Sesshoumaru by her side and smiled weakly at everyone present. Seiji was at her side in a moment, taking her in his arms and giving her a bone-crushing hug. He let her go only when Tsukiko patted his arm gently.

"Don't suffocate her, dear," Tsukiko reprimanded her husband gently before tenderly embracing her daughter. "Don't mind him, Rin. He's just had a bit of a shock, I suppose."

"A bit of a shock?" Seiji demanded, turning to his wife in mock hurt. "That bastard just tried to kill my daughter! I think the situation warrants a better description than that!"

Laughing softly at her parents' antics, Rin sat down beside Kagome and listened to the usual banter. No one mentioned what had happened to Naraku and she didn't want to even imagine the wrath he faced. Sesshoumaru watched Rin like a hawk from his corner of the room and remained unmoved when his brother teased him about his behaviour.

"Do you think she'll marry you now?" Inuyasha asked his brother in a whisper.

"Who knows?" Sesshoumaru replied noncommittally.

"You don't care?!"

"Of course I care."

"Show some enthusiasm then!"

"What good would enthusiasm do me?"

The brothers continued to bicker between them and their argument became quite heated until a calm voice laced with impatience broke through the insults they were quietly trading with each other.

"Sesshoumaru? Did you hear me?" Inutaisho asked, raising an eyebrow when his son looked at him vacantly. "I said that you are going to marry Rin."

"Oh," Sesshoumaru said quietly, surprise evident on his face before hiding it behind his placid mask. "As you wish."

"I thought that perhaps you should know that," Inutaisho said with a dismissive wave. "Go back to your bickering."

As his father turned back to conversation and his brother disappeared across the room to sit with Kagome and Rin, Sesshoumaru thought over his father's words. He was going marry Rin. That was definitely a good thing since he wouldn't have to face marriage to a woman of his parents' choosing, but the idea of marriage was quite frightening. He hadn't ever given it much thought, but now that he had to think about it, it was strange to think that the petite woman across the room would be the one he would spend the rest of his life with. Looking across the room, he met Rin's gaze and she smiled at him before rejoining the conversation she was having with Kagome.

Later that evening, Sesshoumaru sat outside in the garden and sighed softly. A lot had happened that day and suddenly his whole life had changed. He had wanted to marry Rin after discovering that he did care for her a bit, but now that he was actually faced with the prospect, it terrified him. Frowning to himself, he wondered if his father or Seiji had been scared before they were married. Perhaps it was something to ask one of them the next day or sometime before the marriage.

A soft sound caught his attention and he looked up to see Rin walking out onto the wide veranda that ran along the length of the ground floor. She sat down on a bench and sighed to herself. Deciding to make his presence known, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and dusted himself off and walked back towards the house. Rin smiled at him when she saw his figure approaching but made no move to go inside as well. Pausing briefly, Sesshoumaru looked at her questioningly.

"Life has changed so quickly," Rin murmured with a slight smile.

"Oh?"

"A few hours ago, I was just Rin. Now, I'm engaged and the future Queen. It's a frightening prospect."

"At least I'm not alone in thinking that," Sesshoumaru said with a sigh as he sat down on the steps nearby.

"You do too?"

"It's strange to think that I will spend the rest of my life with you," he admitted and looked at her seriously. "I find it hard to believe that you and I will have children and that eventually we will become the King and Queen."

"I hadn't even thought of children," Rin said, her eyes widening in surprise. "Will this ever be more than a marriage of convenience, do you think?"

"Possibly. Only time will tell," Sesshoumaru said sagely as he looked up into the heavens above.

*-*-*-*-*

And so it came to pass that Rin did marry Sesshoumaru and the pair were very happy together. As time passed, Sesshoumaru became very protective of his petite wife and came to love her dearly. Rin loved him in return and was always eager to show him just how much. Over the years, several children were born and each child brought the pair closer together and strengthened their bond. Much as he was with his wife, Sesshoumaru was very protective of his two daughters and guarded them jealously which was a constant source of amusement to his family. His three sons, however, grew up to be strong and just like their father. They adored their mother and would frequently find themselves in competition with their father for her attention, but Rin would simply laugh at their antics.

After several years, Seiji decided that his son in law would be a better ruler and had placed his kingdom in Sesshoumaru's capable hands. Seiji and Tsukiko moved away to share Inutaisho's palace and the castle that Rin had grown up in was once again filled with laughter and children as her own children ran down the halls and played in the gardens as she had once done. It made her smile every time she watched them play and her smile would grow even more when she watched Sesshoumaru play with them. He never ceased to amaze her. Despite his stoic and serious nature, he had taken to parenthood as a duck takes to water and would spend as much time as possible with his children. Although much of his time was taken up with the children or stately affairs, Sesshoumaru never ceased to show Rin how much he cared for her and he never stopped thanking which ever deity had looked over him the day he realised that marriage to Rin would be a good idea. Being married to Rin was better than he could ever have imagined. She had willingly accepted his love and given him hers in return. Then she had completed his life by giving him five beautiful children and every time he sat with his family and watched them interact, he knew life couldn't get any better than this.

*-*-*-*-*

**AN**: So that's the end of it. The ending was awful, but as I say with nearly all my other stories, maybe I'll think up something better eventually and rewrite it? Who knows :)

Anyway, now that this one is finished, I'm going to attempt to finish Bad Influence. I can't promise much with that since I'm still drawing a blank, but I'll try and at least get it updated :)

There's another Sesh/Rin in the pipeline. I've got about 5 chapters for it done, but I'm not going to put it up until I'm finished it. I've written so many Sesh/Rin stories that I think I might change the couple in it :S I was thinking of changing it to a Naruto story with Sakura as the central female character. I can't decide who the central male would be though.

Aaaaanyway! Let me know what you think about that we'll see how it goes from there :) Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this story – it's greatly appreciated and I'm sorry for the rather crap ending .

Thank you again! :)

xMxAx


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